pasteurization
noun
pas·teur·i·za·tion
ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌpas-tyə-,
-tə-
1
: partial sterilization of a substance and especially a liquid (such as milk) at a temperature and for a period of exposure that destroys objectionable organisms without major chemical alteration of the substance
2
: irradiation of food products
Examples of pasteurization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As in other dairy products, pasteurization in butter is necessary to kill bacteria and ensure safe consumption.
—
Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2025
In 1848, the young Louis Pasteur — inventor of pasteurization and rabies vaccination — became the first to notice that organic molecules can come in mirror-image versions.
—Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
And another popular influencer offers a particularly wild take on pasteurization stemming from a Chicago-area case of large-scale foodborne illness that plagued the nation 40 years ago.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The Meat and Dairy Salesroom sells dairy products like ice cream, many of which are made during classes and research projects, from pasteurization to flavor mixing, with milk from the campus dairy farm.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pasteurization
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Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2025
In 1848, the young Louis Pasteur — inventor of pasteurization and rabies vaccination — became the first to notice that organic molecules can come in mirror-image versions.
—Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
And another popular influencer offers a particularly wild take on pasteurization stemming from a Chicago-area case of large-scale foodborne illness that plagued the nation 40 years ago.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The Meat and Dairy Salesroom sells dairy products like ice cream, many of which are made during classes and research projects, from pasteurization to flavor mixing, with milk from the campus dairy farm.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pasteurization
Cite this Entry
“Pasteurization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pasteurization. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pasteurization
noun
pas·teur·i·za·tion
ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən
ˌpas-tə-
: the process of heating a liquid (as milk) to a temperature high enough and keeping it at that temperature long enough to kill many objectionable germs and then cooling it rapidly without causing a major change in its chemical composition
Medical Definition
pasteurization
noun
pas·teur·iza·tion
variants
also British pasteurisation
1
: partial sterilization of a substance and especially a liquid (as milk) at a temperature and for a period of exposure that destroys pathogenic microorganisms
2
: partial sterilization of perishable food products (as fruit or poultry) with radiation (as gamma rays emitted by cobalt 60)
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