In 1864, French chemist Louis Pasteur discovered a way to sterilize milk and make it last longer before souring.

Before experimenting with milk, he had already achieved success in sterilizing beer and wine.

Pasteur himself did not reap the financial rewards of his invention. He did not believe in patents and placed his discovery in the public domain.

It was not until 1881 that the word pasteurization was adopted for his process.

When Pasteur died in 1859, pasteurization had not made him a rich man.