A method of preserving food by heating it to a certain point (usually 140° F) which will kill off pathogenic organisms but will not harm the flavor or quality of the food; this technique is mostly used with beer, milk, fruit juices, cheeses and egg products. This technique was invented by louis Pasteur.

From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.