pasteurize

[ pas-chuh-rahyz, pas-tuh- ]

verb (used with object)

, pas·teur·ized, pas·teur·iz·ing.

1. to expose (a food, as milk, cheese, yogurt, beer, or wine) to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to destroy certain microorganisms, as those that can produce disease or cause spoilage or undesirable fermentation of food, without radically altering taste or quality.

pasteurize

/ ˈpɑː-; -stjə-; ˈpæstəˌraɪz /

verb

1. to subject (milk, beer, etc) to pasteurization
2. rare.
   to subject (a patient) to pasteurism

Other Words From

• pasteur·i·zation noun
• super·pasteur·ized adjective
• ultra·pasteur·ized adjective
• un·pasteur·ized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pasteurize¹

First recorded in 1880–85; Pasteur + -ize

Example Sentences

Early in the H5N1 dairy outbreak, federal health officials tested pasteurized milk samples and found virus in 20% of the samples collected from retail shelves.

From Los Angeles Times

For instance, drinking raw milk that has not been pasteurized - a process that helps kill bacteria - can make people sick or even kill them, research has found.

From BBC

His view on other things like vaccines and pasteurized milk — that can actually end up doing a lot of harm.

From Salon

They also note that cooking foods properly and pasteurizing dairy products inactivates the virus.

From Los Angeles Times

State and federal health authorities insist that H5N1 poses little threat to humans and that it is safe to drink milk that has been pasteurized, because the process kills the virus.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• castrate
• decontaminate
• disinfect
• neuter
• sanitize
• spay