The first step of the process. We heat the mix to reduce pathogens, and for three reasons that concern texture: to fully dissolve sugars and powders, to activate the stabilisers and to bring fat and water together evenly.
Just as important as heating is the cooling that follows. The mix must reach 4 °C as fast as possible, because the temperature range in between is where microbes multiply most easily.
| Method | °C · time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low pasteurisation | 65 · 30′ | Gentle, protects aromas |
| HTST (continuous) | 72 · 15″ | Mainly in industry |
| High pasteurisation | 85 · 2–5′ | Activates stabilisers |
| Cooling | → 4 | As fast as possible |