Pasteurisation is an important and well-established food safety measure, which is practiced globally. It is a simple heating process which involves heating milk to a specified temperature and time period (e.g. 72°C for 15 seconds) in order to destroy any harmful micro-organisms.
Pasteurisation destroys the nutritional value of milk.
Generally, milk for sale in Ireland is pasteurised and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland does not advise the consumption or sale of raw (unpasteurised) milk.
The temperature and duration applied in pasteurisation is relatively low so that it is sufficient to destroy harmful micro-organisms without significant destruction of the nutritional properties.
