Food Processing

Concept: Pasteurisation is a heat treatment process used to destroy harmful microorganisms in milk. To verify its effectiveness, certain enzymes naturally present in milk are monitored. Alkaline phosphatase is the most commonly used indicator because it is more heat-resistant than most pathogens.
Step 1: Understand the role of indicator enzymes.
An ideal indicator enzyme should be:

• Present in raw milk
• Destroyed at pasteurisation temperatures
• More heat-resistant than pathogens

Step 2: Identify the correct enzyme.
Alkaline phosphatase satisfies these conditions, so its absence after treatment confirms proper pasteurisation.