Why does pasteurizing milk help prevent bovine tuberculosis in humans?

Pasteurizing milk is a critical public health measure because it effectively destroys the pathogen Mycobacterium bovis, the bacterium responsible for bovine tuberculosis.12

M. bovis is naturally excreted in the milk of infected cattle. When this milk is consumed raw, the bacteria can readily infect humans, potentially spreading from the gastrointestinal tract to the bloodstream, bones, joints, and lymph nodes.2

Pasteurization works by applying controlled, high-temperature heat to the milk for a specific duration—such as 72 °C (162 °F) for 15 seconds—which is sufficient to kill these disease-producing microorganisms without significantly altering the milk's nutritional value. By ensuring that these pathogens are eliminated before consumption, pasteurization, alongside the systematic monitoring of cattle, has been instrumental in the near-disappearance of human bovine tuberculosis in many parts of the world.312