Correct option is B
Pasteurization is a heat treatment process used to kill harmful bacteria in milk while preserving its nutritional value. The correct standard for pasteurization of milk is 72°C for 15 seconds, known as High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurization. This method effectively eliminates pathogenic microorganisms like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli without significantly affecting the taste or quality of the milk.
Thus, the correct answer is (b) 72°C / 15 sec.
Information Booster:
Types of Milk Pasteurization:
1. High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) Pasteurization (Correct Answer)
· Temperature: 72°C
· Time: 15 seconds
· Purpose: Destroys harmful bacteria while maintaining milk quality.
· Commonly used for: Fresh milk, packaged milk (sold in stores).
2. Low-Temperature Long-Time (LTLT) Pasteurization
· Temperature: 63°C
· Time: 30 minutes
· Purpose: Used in small-scale dairy farms and for cheese production.
3. Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) Pasteurization
· Temperature: 135°C
· Time: 2-5 seconds
· Purpose: Extends shelf life up to 6 months without refrigeration.
· Commonly used for:Long-life (tetra-pack) milk.
Additional Information (Incorrect Options):
· (a) 72°C / 15 min → Incorrect because HTST only requires 15 seconds, not minutes.
· (c) 72°C / 30 min → Incorrect because long-time pasteurization (LTLT) uses 63°C for 30 minutes, not 72°C.
· (d) 72°C / 30 sec → Incorrect because HTST requires only 15 seconds for effective pasteurization