Pasteurization does not meaningfully impact nutritional content; minor reductions in some vitamins occur. Which vitamin is commonly cited as being affected?

• A. Vitamin D
• B. Vitamin C
• C. Vitamin A
• D. Vitamin B12

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that pasteurization uses heat to kill pathogens while trying to preserve nutrients, but some vitamins are more sensitive to heat than others. Vitamin C is highly heat- and oxygen-sensitive, so exposure to the temperatures and durations used in pasteurization can cause small losses of this vitamin. That makes Vitamin C the vitamin most commonly cited as being affected during pasteurization.

In contrast, fat-soluble vitamins like A and D tend to be more stable under these heat treatments, and Vitamin B12 is relatively more heat-stable than Vitamin C, so they show less or no meaningful losses in typical pasteurization processes.