What is the process of pasteurizing milk and how does it compare to boiling milk?
Pasteurization heats every particle of milk to a set temperature for a set time, for example 161 F (72 C) for 15 seconds, to kill disease-causing germs. The CDC and U.S. federal rules describe it that way. We found no official page that compares it with boiling, so we do not claim boiling is equal or better.
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In this article
How is milk pasteurized?
U.S. federal rules (21 CFR 131.3) say every particle of the product must be heated in properly operated equipment and held at one of these combinations:
| Temperature | Time |
|---|---|
| 145 F (63 C) | 30 minutes |
| 161 F (72 C) | 15 seconds |
| 191 F | 1 second |
| 204 F | 0.05 second |
| 212 F | 0.01 second |
Other combinations are allowed if shown to destroy microbes equally well. The first two temperatures rise by 5 F for products with at least 10% fat or added sweeteners. The Celsius figures for 145 and 161 F are our conversion.
What does pasteurization do?
The CDC describes it as a process that removes disease-causing germs by heating milk to a high enough temperature for a certain length of time. It is crucial for milk safety.
Is boiling milk the same as pasteurizing it?
The CDC page we read does not mention boiling, and the federal definition lists only the time and temperature combinations above. We found no official source that tests boiling against pasteurization, so we cannot say whether boiling raw milk gives the same protection. The CDC advice for raw milk is to avoid it.
Do you need to boil pasteurized milk?
We found no official source recommending it. Pasteurized milk has already been heated as described above.
People also ask
What temperature is milk pasteurized at?
U.S. rules allow 145 F for 30 minutes, 161 F for 15 seconds, or shorter holds at higher temperatures such as 191 F for 1 second.
Is pasteurization just boiling?
No official source we read equates them. Pasteurization is defined by exact time and temperature pairs; boiling is not part of that definition.
Is it necessary to boil pasteurized milk?
We found no official guidance that says so. Pasteurized milk has already been heated to kill harmful germs.
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