Does pasteurization kill Johnes?
Yes. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests conducted in 1997 showed that “treatment of raw milk at 72° C (162° F) for 15 seconds effectively killed all M. paratuberculosis.” (J.R. Stabel, et al., “Heat Inactivation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in Raw Milk: Are Current Pasteurization Conditions Effective?” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1997.) This research found that a turbulent flow of milk during pasteurization is key to killing Johne’s. For this reason, batch pasteurization is not effective in killing Johne’s.
