Pasteurization is a physical process by which perishable beverages (i.e. juice, beer, kosher wine, and milk) go through heat treatment. First, they heat quickly and then cool down immediately. This treatment is used to kill off the kinds of bacteria that can make people sick.
There are two types of pasteurization:
High-Temperature Short Time (HTST, or pasteurized)
Ultra-High Temperature Pasteurization (UHT, or ultra-pasteurized)
Ultra high-temperature pasteurization (UHT) is a food processing technique that sterilizes liquid food at the required temperature to kill bacteria - for two to five seconds. In this process, the beverage/milk is heated to 138°C - 150°C for 1-2 seconds. UHT is commonly used for milk production; UHT-treated milk is packaged in sterilized clean packaging and can be stored without refrigeration for months. On the other hand, HTST milk can only be stored in a refrigerator and has a shorter shelf life. After opening the packet, the shelf life for both types of milk is almost similar to conventionally pasteurized products.
Milk! Is a high nutritional value food and degrades quality when undergoing heat treatment, such as domestic boiling. The goal of the Pasteurization process is to ensure the sterilization of milk without compromising the nutritional quality of milk proteins. For solid foods, Pasteurization involves a mild heat treatment, which depends on the food. The application of small amounts of beta or gamma rays to foods can be referred to as Radiation pasteurization, which is used to increase their storage time. UHT milk contains the same number of calories and calcium as pasteurized milk but some loss of vitamin B12, vitamin C and Thiamin can occur. UHT milk's protein structure is also different from pasteurized milk, which prevents it from spillage or cheese making.
The innovation of Ultra high-temperature pasteurization (UHT) treatment of milk has added a new dimension to the marketing of liquid milk on the earth, without the requirement of cold chain management. Pasteurization is a process to kill microbial, fungal, and other agents that contribute to the spoilage of milk. The specified feature of UHT milk is that it has a long shelf life at room temperature. UHT milk (also known as long-life milk) is emerging as an attractive commercial alternative offering a hygienic and quality product, which can be bought anywhere, at any time, and in any quantity.
There are many ways to sanitize food products, but pasteurization is quick and safe. With pasteurization, any microorganisms can be destroyed that may be present. Other methods may involve chemical treatments, and they may not be safest to use. Little bacteria and other microorganisms can cause food products to deteriorate faster while UHT pasteurization is vast to make your food items viable to Keep the product fresh for a long period.
Pasteurization is also faster than most other methods that rely on filtration. In some cases, the pasteurization process can improve the flavor and taste of the product. Often, foods and other products may have bacteria that produce unpleasant smells, Removing those bacteria can create a more consistently pleasant experience for the consumer. By eliminating volatile impurities, the milk becomes more stable, therefore the quality of the product becomes more consistent.
From the nutritional point of view, milk forms a basic part of the human diet and is considered a host of nutrients such as carbohydrates, complete protein, vitamin B, and calcium. Consumption of raw milk is associated with certain health issues. Therefore, heating milk is strongly suggested before consumption. Hence, Ultra-High Temperature Pasteurization -treated milk is safe and comes with extended shelf life. Heating milk at such a high temperature can be resultant in the change of organoleptic properties like change in flavor. But UHT treatment of milk does not substantially decrease any other benefits of milk.