The process named after its inventor that kills harmful microorganisms in liquids like milk is pasteurization. It uses controlled heating to reduce disease-causing and spoilage microbes without subjecting the liquid to the much harsher treatment used for complete sterilization.
The process is named for French scientist Louis Pasteur. In the 1860s, his experiments showed that heating wine could deactivate unwanted microorganisms responsible for spoilage. The method was later adapted widely for milk and other foods. Modern high-temperature, short-time milk pasteurization commonly heats milk to about 72°C (162°F) for 15 seconds.
Pasteurization does not destroy every microorganism or all bacterial spores, so it is not the same as sterilization. It also does not make poor handling harmless: pasteurized milk can still become contaminated if stored or handled improperly. The treatment helps prevent illnesses associated with raw milk, including infections caused by Salmonella, Listeria, and pathogenic Escherichia coli.