What process did Pasteur introduce in 1867 related to microbial control?

• A. Vaccination against anthrax
• B. Pasteurization
• C. Discovery of fermentation by yeast
• D. Antiseptic surgery

Answer: (B)

Pasteurization is a heat treatment that reduces microbial growth in liquids without sterilizing them. In 1867, Pasteur showed that heating beverages like wine, beer, and later milk to a moderate temperature for a short time would kill many spoilage and pathogenic microbes responsible for souring and illness, thereby prolonging shelf life while preserving quality. This approach demonstrated that microbes could be controlled through heat, rather than by removing all microbes entirely. It’s different from vaccination against anthrax, which protects against disease; from the earlier discovery that fermentation is caused by living organisms like yeast; and from antiseptic surgery, which uses chemical agents to kill microbes during medical procedures.