Is one more important than the other, in a word, Yes.
What is pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a requirement and homogenization is not, making pasteurization the more important step in the process. I call homogenization a “product assistance” process because it pounds molecules together creating a uniform product. In milk and cream, homogenizing represents the difference in seeing separation of milk fat and water, or not. Typically when some customers see a fat plug at the top of the milk bottle or a label stating “shake well before drinking” is a turnoff.
Boring but important to understand the differences between the two processes. Pasteurization is defined on FoodSafetySite.com as the process of heat processing a liquid or a food to kill pathogenic bacteria to make the food safe to eat. The Department of Agriculture has strict guidelines on the process, in which processors are required to record each time the process is conducted to prove specific times and temperature were achieved. In the latest event, Naturally Wholesome Products, LLC, pulled from the shelves their Wholesome Country Creamery Half & Half, because later testing found excessive amounts of alkaline phosphatase which was due to improper pasteurization. Read the article in Food Safety News. Although the consequence of the “cooking” process will reduce and may cases eliminate nutrients in the product, but the tradeoff in not having the process is big.
Over the years, reports of product recall have been read, primarily caused by high bacteria counts which caused illness and even deaths. I took notice of a food product causing harm in 1996, where it was discovered a connection between Odwalla a California fresh fruit producer selling unpasteurized apple juice and the death of 16 month old Anna Gimmestad of Greeley, Colorado, due to kidney failure. A fresh batch of apple juice was contaminated with E. coli bacterium, from either rotten or ground apples included in the batch. The company’s intentions to sell fresh juices was admirable, but the consequences were substantial in a death, illness and pulling 13 fruit products from 4,600 stores, a multi-million dollars nightmare. More recently I published a few articles on Blue Bell ice cream recall, August 2015 and November 2016 , killing a number of people and sickening many more.
What is homogenization?
Homogenization, it’s not required, but in my opinion can result in a better overall product, caused by co-mingling component ingredients in a product. However the consequence in homogenizing milk, is the body having to work harder to digest. An article written by Dr. Frank Lipman explains that Homogenized milk is harder to digest, proteins that would normally be digested in the stomach are not broken down and instead are absorbed into the bloodstream. Often the body reacts to these “foreign proteins” by triggering the immune system, causing inflammation. It can even trigger auto-immune problems. Read more of the article.
Be a responsible manufacturer and know what’s going out the door before selling to the public. Contact Darryl to better understand the benefits and consequences of homogenizing your product, as well as the reality of no or under-pasteurizing your product.
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