In a milk pasteurisation process, milk is heated and subsequently cooled with recovery and re-use of the surrendered heat. The milk is first heated gently to a temperature between 65-95 deg C but below that at which there is the onset of whey protein denaturation. The milk is then homogenised. Immediately the milk has reached the chosen temperature, it is subjected to a high-pasteurisation process at a temperature of preferably 125 deg C at a flow speed which is preferably twice that of the pre-heat process. The milk is then subjected to immediate shock cooling to approximately the temperature employed in the pre-heat process. The milk is then homogenised.
