Was Louis Pasteur the first one to try pasteurisation?

We have all heard our mothers and grandmothers say that we shouldn’t have milk before it is boiled, right? But, have you ever wondered why they say so? Well, here’s your answer: It’s believed that milk, like all food and beverages, contains pathogens that need to be killed before consumption. The scientific process of applying heat to edibles in order to get rid of pathogens and in turn extend its shelf life has a name: Pasteurisation. Well, you have heard about it in your science classes, right? You all are aware that it’s the heat-treatment of a perishable food in order to inactivate (not kill) heat-sensitive microorganisms. Also, this process is followed by immediate cooling, to limit the destruction of valuable nutrients present in food. All these are known to you. But do you know that Louis Pasteur wasn’t the first one to conduct experiments on pasteurisation? Here, we will share some interesting facts about the invention of pasteurisation which you probably haven’t found in your textbooks.  

One person didn’t invent pasteurisation alone 
The world credits French chemist Louis Pasteur for the invention of pasteurisation. The process, as you already know, has been named after him. He is said to have developed the technique in 1864. One day, Pasteur tried heating wine (to 50 or 60 degrees Celsius) to reduce its acidity as part of some other experiment. This process killed the microbes present in it. This part is also known to most of you. But do you know that this process has been in in use since 1117 AD? In fact, it was conceived in ancient China to preserve wine. But this doesn’t end the origin debate of pasteurisation. 

Even before Pasteur conducted his experiment, Italian scientist Lazzaro Spallanzani heated meat broth (until its boiling point) and instantly sealed the container. Weeks later, the broth was still fresh. This took place in the year 1768. Following this, in 1795, French chef Nicholas Appert sealed some baked foods in glass jars and kept them immersed in boiling water, in order to preserve them. Another 15 years down the line, Peter Durand, a British scientist, applied the same technique to preserve food, but this time in tin cans. Modern scientists believe that all these experiments eventually led to the development of pasteurisation. However, it wasn’t until 1886 that German chemist Franz von Soxhlet tried pasteurisation of milk, the drink we associate the most with this process.  

Then, why was pasteurisation named after Pasteur?  
Pasteur’s experiment, for the first time, tried to explain the steps within the process. Also, it was Pasteur who figured out that air particles and not air itself were responsible for spoiling foods. He was also the one to point out that microorganisms (pathogens) not only spoiled the food but also led to diseases.  

Pasteurisation doesn’t take place manually now 
Earlier, the process of heating and cooling foods used to be done manually. But now, pasteurisation has come a long way and it is no longer carried out by human beings. In case of liquids, manufacturing or packaging companies pour them through pipes, while heat is simultaneously applied using steam or hot water from below. Thereafter, the liquids are directed towards another set of pipes where they are left to cool down. While all these happen, there are experts who monitor the temperature and duration of the phases.  

In case of solid foods, they are now mostly pasteurised after they have undergone packaging. For those with glass containers, hot water is used over a period of time to kill the pathogens, but all the while ensuring that the glass remains intact. In case of plastic or metal containers, steam is often preferred over hot water.