Louis Pasteur

French, 1822-95

French scientist Louis Pasteur‘s research of the fermentation process led to his discovery that the growth of micro-organisms spoiled beverages. He developed the pasteurisation method, a heat-treatment process that kills the pathogenic bacteria and extends the shelf life of certain food and drink, including milk. The process is still crucial today and widely used in the dairy and food industries. It is extremely useful for cheesemaking, allowing producers to maintain both consistency and standardisation of their cheeses as well as automating their production. Pasteurisation also ensures the safety of cheese for consumers, although raw milk cheeses are still popular.