🥛 Sterilized milk
Also known as: sterilised milk
Heated above 100 °C for a long time: keeps well but tastes "boiled".
Sterilised milk is milk heated above 100 °C long enough to destroy not only disease-causing bacteria but also most of their spores. The classic method is in-container sterilisation: the milk is filled into bottles or cans, sealed and held in an autoclave, for example at about 110–120 °C for 10–20 minutes. According to the FAO, unsweetened condensed (evaporated) milk is sterilised the same way — at about 120 °C for 13 minutes.
Long heating gives the milk a creamy tint and a distinct “boiled”, caramel taste: at high temperature lactose reacts with proteins (the Maillard reaction). Losses of heat-sensitive vitamins are greater with this treatment than with pasteurisation and UHT processing.
On the other hand, sterilised milk can be kept for a long time without refrigeration in a sealed container. Today it has largely been replaced by aseptically packed UHT milk, which preserves the taste better, but in-container sterilisation is still used for concentrated milk and some drinks.
How it connects to milk
🥛 Sterilized milk → made from → 🥛 Milk
Links
- How it is made
- 🌡️ Sterilization
- Made from
- 🥛 Milk
- Part of
- 🥛 Drinking milk by processing
Frequently asked questions
Can you drink sterilised milk without boiling it?
Yes: it is sterile in its sealed pack. Once opened, it must be kept in the fridge.
Why does sterilised milk taste different?
With long heating, lactose interacts with proteins, producing a creamy colour and a “baked milk” taste.
Similar
🥛 Whole milk · 🥛 A2 milk · 🥛 Skimmed milk · 🥛 UHT milk · 🥛 Pasteurized milk · 🥛 Mithun milk
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- FAO. Milk and dairy products in human nutrition (2013)
- FDA: Raw Milk Misconceptions and the Danger of Raw Milk Consumption