Milk is pasteurized in order to _____.

Milk is pasteurized to destroy the microorganisms. Pasteurization is a process of heating a food, usually a liquid, to a specific temperature for a definite length of time and then cooling it immediately. This process slows spoilage due to microbial growth in the food. Unlike sterilization, pasteurization is not intended to kill all micro-organisms in the food. Instead, it aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming the pasteurized product is stored as indicated and is consumed before its expiration date). Commercial-scale sterilization of food is not common because it adversely affects the taste and quality of the product. Certain foods, such as dairy products, may be superheated to ensure pathogenic microbes are destroyed.