Pasteur's initial experiments in 1862 involved heating wine to a specific temperature to kill harmful microbes without affecting the wine's taste. This breakthrough, however, did not see widespread application until the early 20th century, as the scientific community and industries gradually recognized its significance.
In the United States, pasteurization gained traction thanks to the efforts of Alice Catherine Evans (1881-1975), a pioneering microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Evans contracted brucellosis (undulant fever) in 1918 and discovered that Brucella, the bacterium responsible for her illness, was present in cow's milk. Her research revealed that milk could harbor a range of dangerous bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, which posed serious health risks, especially to vulnerable populations such as the young, elderly, pregnant women, and the infirm.
Before pasteurization became common practice, unpasteurized milk was a significant cause of diseases like tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and salmonellosis. Despite facing skepticism, Evans tirelessly advocated for milk pasteurization, emphasizing its importance in preventing these life-threatening infections. Her efforts, alongside mounting scientific evidence, eventually led to mandatory milk pasteurization in the United States by the 1930s.
Today, pasteurization remains a cornerstone of public health, ensuring that milk and other dairy products are safe for consumption, significantly reducing the incidence of milk-borne diseases, and saving countless lives worldwide. The legacy of Louis Pasteur and Alice Catherine Evans continues to impact global food safety standards.
Pasteurization: Safeguarding Public Health and Food Safety
