200 years ago today, the father of modern milk technology Louis Pasteur (born 27.12.1822 + 28.09.1895) was born in Dole, France. Coming from a poor background, friends of the family had provided the talented boy with a school education. From 1843 to 1846 he studied at the renowned École normale supérieure and earned a doctorate in physics and chemistry. In Lille, he took over the professorship of chemistry in 1854 and – due to the proximity to the local economy – researched in particular on practical issues of food production. In the context of alcohol production from beet sugar, he dealt with fermentation and putrefaction, among other things. He found out that these are not caused by dead ferments, but by tiny living organisms, depending on whether oxygen is available or not. Furthermore, he realised that heating food for a short time kills most microorganisms. This increases the shelf life. This process is pasteurisation, named after him.
Photo: Paul Nadar Crisco
