Definition

To heat a liquid, usually food or drink, to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria and extend its shelf life.

Example

The factory will pasteurise the milk before packaging it.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Did you know that they pasteurise milk to kill harmful bacteria?

Yeah, I heard that it's important for safety.

I always thought it was just to make it last longer.

That's true too — it really helps keep the milk fresh.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pasteurise → It is derived from the name 'Pasteur' (referring to Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist) and the suffix '-ise' (meaning to make or to cause to be). The word 'pasteurise' means to make something (usually a liquid) safe for consumption by heating it to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria, named after its inventor.

Memory Tip

Think of Louis Pasteur, who developed a method to 'make safe' ('-ise') liquids by heating them. This helps you remember that 'pasteurise' means to make something safe to drink.

Visually Confused Words