Pasteurization

Liquid milk, directly as it comes from the cow and before it has had anything done to it, is called raw milk. Because raw milk may contain disease-causing bacteria or other organisms, it is almost always pasteurized before being sold or before being processed into other products. Pasteurized milk has been heated to 161°F(72°C), held at this temperature for 15 seconds to kill disease-causing organisms, and then quickly chilled. By law, all Grade A liquid milk and cream must be pasteurized. (Grades B and C are used in food processing and industrial uses and are rarely seen in food service or in the retail market.)