How did Louis Pasteur prevent disease from contaminating silkworm eggs?

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Painting by Albert Edelfelt showing Louis Pasteur in his laboratory, holding a glass flask and examining it intently, surrounded by scientific equipment on a workbench. — Louis Pasteur In the 19th century Louis Pasteur's work established the germ theory of disease, proving that microorganisms cause fermentation and sickness, which led to the development of pasteurization, aseptic techniques in medicine, and effective vaccines for diseases such as rabies. (Painting by Albert Edelfelt, 1885.)

To address the crisis facing the French silkworm industry in the mid-19th century, Louis Pasteur conducted five years of research to identify the specific organisms responsible for the disease affecting the insects.

Pasteur developed a method to ensure the production of healthy silkworm eggs by systematically screening for and eliminating those contaminated by disease-causing organisms. By observing that individual silkworms responded differently to infection based on physiological and environmental factors, he established rigorous epidemiology practices to preserve healthy stock. This technique effectively saved the silk industry and remains in use in silk-producing countries today.1