Sterilization
Pasteurization / Sterilization
Japanese: 滅菌
The complete elimination of all microorganisms, including spores. A more thorough process than pasteurization, aiming for an aseptic state.
Sterilization goes beyond pasteurization. While pasteurization kills most microorganisms, sterilization eliminates all—including heat-resistant spores—achieving a completely aseptic state.
Autoclaves are used for sterilizing medical instruments and culture media, with the standard being 121°C for at least 15 minutes. Ordinary boiling (100°C) cannot kill heat-resistant spores.
In fermentation practice, sterilization is mainly used in research and quality control. What miso-making requires is appropriate cleanliness, not total sterility—kill every microbe, and fermentation cannot begin.