John Myers
Is Greek Yogurt pasteurized?
Is heat treated cream cheese pasteurized?
Greek yogurt is made from pasteurized milk unless it says “made from raw milk.”
In the European Union, according to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004, heat treatment is required by law for all types of milk traded except for raw and processed milk.
Cream cheese and other fermented milk products that have been heated to over 50 degrees Celsius after fermentation must be labeled “heat-treated”. Regardless of the post-fermentation heat treatment, the milk used to make cream cheese is pasteurized before fermentation, i.e. heated to at least 72 degrees for 15 seconds (or pasteurized with some other temperature-time combination).
The background is that heat-treated products contain fewer or no lactic acid bacteria compared to non-treated products. The heat treatment increases the stability and durability of the products.
