What is pasteurisation?

It is written on most milk bottles, but is also used as a process for fruit juice: Pasteurised. But what exactly does that mean? We will explain here how the process works and what influence the brief heating has on the microorganisms and thus the juice. We will mainly explain pasteurisation in relation to juice, but other foodstuffs such as wine, beer and the already mentioned milk are also preserved with this process.

• Importance of pasteurisation
• Procedure
• Advantages
• Excursus: Brown light protection bottles
• FAQ

Pasteurisation as a process was invented by Louis Pasteur, who also gave the process its name. He recognised in the 19th century that heating for a short time kills most microorganisms and makes food last longer - without any significant change in the product's properties. Today, it is a legal requirement in Germany that certain foods must be pasteurised. This includes almost every type of milk, except raw milk, for example. Certain foods such as fruit juice are pasteurised because they would spoil too quickly due to the natural presence of microorganisms. The shelf life of food is therefore significantly extended by pasteurisation.

Whether a juice is pasteurised or not cannot be seen by simply looking at it. The gentle heating process does not cause any change in colour and the consistency does not change either. Pasteurising the juice only physically ensures that the fruit juice is more durable.

In our juice production at Rabenhorst, the pressed fruit juice, which is the basis for all our juices, is pasteurised particularly gently. We use a special pasteurisation process in which the juice is heated to temperatures of approx. 80-90°C. This process prevents the juice from fermenting. This process prevents the juice from fermenting. This is because the heating process kills the naturally contained microorganisms in the juice. These microorganisms, also called germs, would otherwise trigger the fermentation process and thus lead to the fruit juice spoiling.

Since the addition of preservatives is prohibited by law, pasteurisation is used to preserve fruit juice. This is how you can do without the use of preservatives. Due to our very gentle pasteurisation process, vitamins and other heat-sensitive ingredients are largely preserved in the juice. The colour, taste and smell of the fruit also remain unchanged. Our juices therefore taste particularly fruity, for example our pure juice from first pressing, which you can drink pure or diluted, depending on your preference.