Sterilization / Pasteurization
Sterilization
Japanese: 殺菌
Killing microorganisms through heat or chemicals. In fermented foods, it is performed as 'pasteurization' to halt fermentation.
Sterilization is the process of killing microorganisms through heat or chemicals. A fundamental food safety technique, its scientific basis was established by Pasteur in the 19th century.
In fermented foods, sterilization is called 'hi-ire' (pasteurization), performed to intentionally stop fermentation. Sake and soy sauce are pasteurized before shipping to stabilize quality.
Yet sterilization is a double-edged sword—killing microbes also inactivates enzymes. 'Nama-miso' (unpasteurized miso) is valued precisely because its enzymes remain alive. Whether to pasteurize is a trade-off between quality stability and enzymatic vitality.