Certified Cheese Professional Practice Exam

Ultra Pasteurization is a milk processing technique designed to extend the shelf life of dairy products by heating them to high temperatures for a very short period of time. The standard for ultra-pasteurized products is to heat the milk to at least 280°F (138°C) for a minimum of 2 seconds.

This high temperature effectively destroys pathogenic microorganisms and spores that could cause spoilage, thereby allowing the product to be stored for extended periods without refrigeration, as long as the packaging remains intact.

The other options do not meet the required temperature and duration criteria established for ultra pasteurization. For instance, 212°F is considerably lower than what is necessary for this process, and while different time and temperature combinations can be effective for various pasteurization methods, they don't specifically align with the definition of ultra pasteurization as recognized in food safety standards.