What is Pasteurization?

Like our eggs, the milk we carry has a couple variations to choose from, too! In the next couple of posts, we will be clarifying what certain terms mean so you can get the best milk for your family’s needs. Pasteurization is the first term we’ll be sharing with you.

The process of pasteurization involves a couple of different steps. First, of course, the cows are milked and the milk is kept at 39 degrees Fahrenheit while it is transported to a facility at which the processing takes place. The milk is then heated to 161 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter and is held at that heat for about 15-20 seconds. After the heating process, the milk is cooled to 39 degrees Fahrenheit again.

So, what is the purpose of pasteurization, you ask? First off, the necessity of pasteurization depends on the conditions under which the cows were raised and milked. The more unsanitary the environment or opportunities for bacteria to develop in the milk, the greater the need for pasteurization to kill off the bacteria that has developed. So, if you want to drink milk with the reassurance that there is no harmful bacteria that could possibly get you sick, look for the word “pasteurized” on the cap or label of the milk you want to buy. However, there are some folks who, due to certain health conditions, prefer to or can only drink non-pasteurized raw milk. Raw milk is produced with extreme caution in order to prevent any harmful bacteria from developing in the milk. It is also tested meticulously to make sure the milk is safe for consumption.

You may also be wondering, what are the nutrition differences between raw vs. pasteurized milk? Of course, there are pros and cons with any food product depending on the methods and manners by which it is produced. Pasteurization not only kills the unsafe bacteria in milk, it also destroys down the naturally-occurring digestive enzyme lactase which helps digest the naturally-occurring sugar lactose. For those who are lactose-intolerant (varying levels in difficulty with digesting lactose), this is clearly not a good situation – however, some folks with a lactose intolerance can tolerate raw milk because it still contains that lactase enzyme that helps to digest the lactose. Of course, every person is different, so if you’d like to see if raw milk works for you, start small and monitor how you feel to make sure you do not have any adverse reactions! (Psst… you can also try goat milk if you’re lactose-intolerant – check out our post here!). The pasteurization process can also prevent you from getting the full benefits of key nutrients such as copper, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E, as well as some helpful probiotics (click here for more info from the Raw Milk Institute)!

Of course, we recommend that you do your own research to figure out which type of milk is best for your family – everyone is different! Make sure you stop by the Old Dutch Cupboard to check out our milk selections. We currently carry milk from Penn View, Swiss Villa, and South Mountain Creamery.

Stay tuned for our next post on homogenization! 

Resources:

https://www.usdairy.com/news-articles/why-is-milk-pasteurized-4-questions-answered

https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/covid19#health