The inactivation of vegetative forms of microorganisms can prolong the sustainability of food while preserving and maintaining its taste and nutritional values.
In case of fruit and vegetable processing pasteurization is a process that extends shelf-life of fresh juices while preserving the original composition. The pasteurization process of direct juices does not cause evaporation nor product thickening.
Our company manufactures pasteurizers which are applied in the food industry for direct juices and beverage production. More information about it may be found here.
The origins of pasteurization
The term “pasteurization" refers to the discovery made by Louis Pasteur, who was later recognized as the father of microbiology. Its creation was contributed by the French Ministry of Navy, which in the nineteenth century had to cope with the problem of wine turning sour on ships.
During long marine expeditions, this drink used to become unfit for drinking, meanwhile its cooking, for certain reasons, could not be considered. Therefore, people were looking for a cheap and easy method, which would avoid wastage and financial loses. The new way to achieve that was simply called “wine warming”. It was all about rising its temperature to compromised 63°C with efficient microorganisms neutralizing, while maintaining the quality of a drink. Over time, this method has also been adapted to other food types.
The high temperatures’ impact on microorganisms
The effects of thermal treatment depend on the microorganisms’ heat tolerance, which is variable due to its species, age, the form in which they occur (vegetative or spore) and environmental conditions (temperature and time applied, oxygen availability, the pH of environment, water content in the environment, i.e. water activity)
The high temperatures’ impact on food
High temperatures can cause a variety of changes in food products, which can have both positive effects (destruction of toxic substances, inactivation of enzymes, increase of assimilation of certain food products), as well as negative side effects (some vitamins and proteins destruction, associated decline of nutritional values).
Pasteurization
Pasteurization involves the destruction of vegetative forms of microorganisms by the mild heating of food products to a temperature not exceeding 100 ° C (usually it ranges 65-85 ° C). However, this process is ineffective in the case of spores or viruses that are disposed only during sterilization, which would be heating to a temperature exceeding 100 ° C.
The specific method of pasteurization is the so-called retort cooking or tyndalization, which in fact is a fractionated pasteurization consisting of triple pasteurization.
Application
Products that undergo pasteurization can be liquid, solid, non-packaged or even already sealed. Most often pasteurization is used for: milk and derivatives, meat and sausages, wine, beer, fruit preserves such as jams, marmalades and juices.
Thanks to pasteurization it is possible to extend the life shelf of food for several days. Additional use of containers and supportive treatments (e.g. pickling in vinegar) greatly increases their useful time, which is similar to the term of sterilization.
Table. Pasteurization - types and application
|
Pasteurization type |
Conditions |
Application |
|
long lasting or low |
temperature 60-65°C, long processing time (e.g. 30 minutes for milk) |
milk fruit juices ice creams bottled beer |
|
instantaneous |
heating (e.g. to 85-90 ° C for milk) and immediate cooling |
milk |
|
high |
high temperature (e.g. in the case of milk 85-100 ° C, in few seconds or sometimes even minutes) |
cream |
Other sources: Wikipedia (PASTERIZATION)
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