MORE ABOUT MILK.....

Processing of Milk and Pasteurization

Pasteurization
Louis Pasteur discovered pasteurization in the 1860’s. Before that, many diseases were transmitted through raw milk to children and adults alike. Since its discovery, various methods of pasteurization have been developed:

1.Low temperature pasteurization.
When you boil food it becomes sterile and very safe to eat. The downside is that taste and nutritional value are significantly affected- as is the case with UHT milk. (See below) However, when you pasteurize a food (almost always a liquid) at lower temperatures, you are able to heat it to a high enough temperature to disable certain enzymes and kill pathogenic bacteria. This has minimal effect on the taste and nutritional value! Milk can be pasteurized this way by heating to 62.8°c for half an hour or 72.8°c for 15 seconds. This maintains the taste and properties of fresh milk and as such, it should be stored in the refrigerator because it is still FRESH milk!
2.Ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteruization /Ultra Heat Treatment.
The milk is raised to 141°c for 1-2 seconds, completely sterilizing the product. This method is used to create the long shelf-life packs or boxes of milk that you see on supermarket shelves. It does not need to be refrigerated until after opening and no longer has the true fresh milk flavor.

Debated subjects
With so many different products on the shelves, there is more and more debate surrounding the benefits and disadvantages of using these different pasteurization methods. Here is a brief introduction to the contested issues:

Raw vs. Pasteurized: In many countries it is illegal to sell raw milk because of the associated health risks and high illness incidence. However, some people think that staying close to nature is better for your health, arguing that pasteurization destroys many of the active, living nutrients found in milk.

Pasteurization vs. UHT: Pasteurized milk retains more nutrients and a fresher, more natural taste than UHT milk. Fresh milk is considered to be much better for your health than UHT milk. However, UHT milk has a long shelf life, is easier to distribute and without the need for refrigeration, it generates less waste and costs less.