What is vat pasteurization?
Top We have 2 large, sealed vats which hold around 200 gallons each. After the milk inside reaches 145 °F, we hold that temperature for 30 minutes, and then quickly cool the milk to about 39 °F. The lower heat leaves more of the good proteins, providing our milk with a richer flavor, while still effectively destroying any pathogens that may have been present. Most plants use an HTST system, which is a continuous flow process, heating the milk to at least 161 F for about 15 seconds between metal plates that are heated on the outside by hot water pipes. Ultra-pasteurized processing holds the milk at a temperature of 250 °F for a fraction of a second. Of the 3 processes, this extremely high temperature leaves the milk with the least amount of its natural goodness.
