Pasteurization of milk products does NOT eliminate which of the following?

Pasteurization is a thermal process used to eliminate pathogens in food and extend its shelf life by reducing spoilage organisms. However, it is important to understand what pasteurization effectively targets and what it does not affect.

The process is particularly effective at killing harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, and inactivating certain viruses. However, it is not designed to eliminate all threats that may be present in food products.

When discussing what pasteurization does not eliminate, we consider several factors:

The presence of toxins, such as those produced by certain bacteria, can remain after pasteurization since many heat-stable toxins are not destroyed by the process. For example, the toxins of Staphylococcus aureus can survive pasteurization temperatures.

Spores, such as anthrax spores, are particularly resilient and can withstand extreme heat, making them another threat that pasteurization does not eliminate.

Furthermore, pasteurization does not remove chemical contaminants like pesticides. These substances may not be affected by heat treatment at the levels used in pasteurization, meaning their presence in the final product can remain unaltered.

Thus, the correct answer indicates that pasteurization does not eliminate toxins, anthrax spores, or pesticides,