"Ultra-pasteurized." What does it mean? Is it safe?

[DemoTex]

I buy organic half-&-half that has been "ultra-pasteurized." I love the shelf life (weeks), because I don't use much and it is expensive. Is it an innocuous process (is decaffeination of coffee, for that matter?)? Are chemicals added (if so what)? I damn sure don't trust the FDA, especially with respect to the organic label. Since I know that there is no free lunch, I'm wondering what the down-side of "ultra-pasteurization" is.

[livvy]

1. This should answer some of your questions.

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/7945sci2.html

[acmejack]

2. Here is what Cornell says:

Ultra-Pasteurized Milk: “Ultra-Pasteurized” means that the milk is heated to a minimum of 280°F for a minimum 2 seconds. This temperature and time combination is much more lethal to bacteria, killing virtually all of concern in milk. Ultra-pasteurized milk is also packaged under near sterile conditions, which makes recontamination with spoilage bacteria unlikely and rare. Though Ultra-Pasteurized milk is processed to be free of spoilage and harmful bacteria, it is not considered sterile because it is not hermetically sealed (i.e. canned), thus, it requires refrigeration. Ultra-Pasteurization is most often used for creams and specialty dairy products though its use for milk is becoming more popular. Ultra-Pasteurized milks will often have more of a “cooked” flavor when compared to conventionally pasteurized milks. The average shelf-life of Ultra-Pasteurized milk products is 30-90 days when held under refrigeration, but only until the product is opened. Once an Ultra-Pasteurized product is opened it may become contaminated with spoilage bacteria. Thus, after opening, Ultra-Pasteurized milk should be kept well refrigerated (34-38°F) and consumed within 7-10 days for best quality and taste.

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:z-YAYcTnI94J:www.foodscience.cornell.edu/mqip/FACTpast-up.doc+ultra-pasteurization&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=14&client=opera

also from Horizon Organic Dairies "UP and HTST milk have the same great taste and nutritional benefits, but UP has an extended refrigerated shelf life (before opening)"

http://www.horizonorganic.com/site/faq/products_org_milk_process.html

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Just A Personal Note

My dad was a milkman. (Not the door to door kind, but the guy who drove the semi full of milk to the supermarkets.)

Anyway, as a result, i was in a dairy for the first time when i was about 3 and went MANY, MANY times subsequently. ALL milk is processed and packaged under sterile conditions. So, Cornell's explanation of the packaging differences is overstated.

The biggest difference is, as they say, the temperature achieved. The trick is to have a system that not only heats the milk that high, but is sufficient in surface area and theta angle (these are plate and frame heat exchangers) to get the milk to that temperature in a very short time, and then cool it back down on the back end.

The ability to do that makes the ultrapasteurizer quite large and expensive, because there is no substitute for surface area on a heat exchanger.

But, the systems have used sterile connectors for all piping and tubing, valving and pumping, since i was a kid, and i'm 50. And, the packaging lines are all treated the same way as all other handling and processing.

Just a bit of info from the milkman's kid.
The Professor

[Toots]

3. The only down side is cost

A gallon of 2% UP is about $.60 more than a gallon of regular milk but depending upon where you live the additional dating may be very important.

[seriousstan]

4. Have you ever heard of "google"? It's a search engine.

Do you have a computer?

[rucky]

6. this is a forum where people exchange information and ideas

If you want to play with yourself, google away.

[Igel]

5. We typically keep a case of UHP

(ulta-high pasteurized) milk around the apt. Houston, hurricane season's near, we have a toddler that likes milk, and the stuff keeps for months.

We got used to it in Europe, where UHP milk isn't uncommon, and isn't kept refrigerated in many stores. It should be refrigerated, but most containers are fine without it. I'm not sure if UHP is different from simply ultra-pasteurized.

[immoderate]

7. It was invented by Louis Ultra-Pasteur!

--IMM

[patcox2]

9. Demotex, short answer, its safe, no chemicals, just high temp.

As for decaffeinated coffee, that process involves only water, and is also quite safe.