Milk Pasteurization

What is Pasteurization?

Pasteurization is a process that slows microbial growth in food. Not intended to kill all pathogens: Pasteurization is not intended to kill all pathogenic micro-organisms in the food or liquid, but aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease. There are two main types of pasteurization used today:

High Temperature/Short Time (HTST): 161°F for 15-20 seconds
Ultra-Heat Treated (UHT): 280°F for fraction of second

Both treatments involve rapid heating by forcing the milk between super heated stainless steel plates

Destruction of Built-In Safety Systems by Pasteurization - I

Component	Breast Milk	Raw Milk	Pasteurized Milk	UHTMilk	Infant Formula
B-lymphocytes	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Macrophages	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Neutrophils	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Lymphocytes	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
IgA/IgG Antibodies	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
B12 Binding Protein	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Bifidus Factor	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Medium-Chain Fatty Acids	active	active	reduced	reduced	reduced
Fibronectin	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Gamma-Interferon	active	active	inactivated	inactivated	inactivated
Lactoferrin	active	active	reduced	inactivated	inactivated
Lactoperoxidase	active	active	reduced	inactivated	inactivated
Lysozyme	active	active	reduced	inactivated	inactivated
Mucin A/Oligosaccharides	active	active	reduced	inactivated	inactivated
Hormones & Growth Factors	active	active	reduced	reduced	inactivated

Destruction of Built-In Safety Systems by Pasteurization - II

Milk’s anti-microbial properties have been detailed only recently, but the destruction of protective properties was recognized as early as 1938 in studies showing that raw milk did not support the growth of a wide range of pathogens.
Researchers noted that heating milk supports the growth of harmful bacteria by inactivating "inhibins" (factors that inhibit bacterial growth)