Pleasure is in nature. ODE creates complex aperitifs from German vintner wine and the world's best botanicals. All naturally produced in Berlin, all less sweet, but with more flavor. But what does it actually mean to be "natural" today? One aspect is to forego pasteurizing our aperitifs. You can read what that means in this post.

What does pasteurization mean and why is it done?

Fresh milk or fresh fruits and vegetables generally need to be stored cold and consumed within a few days. Anyone who has accidentally grabbed fresh milk instead of long-life milk from the supermarket shelf may know that it spoils very quickly. Some plants are more robust than others: for example, the thick skin of citrus fruits not only protects them from drying out in the blazing sun in the wild, but also from germs penetrating the delicate pulp.

The reason why food spoils is due to many microorganisms and germs. They become particularly active in wet and warm environments – in fresh products lying on the kitchen counter, they feel particularly at home and begin to happily decompose them. To counteract this, products are pasteurized. Pasteurization serves to extend the shelf life of products. This includes, for example, milk and cheese, but also fruits and vegetables in cans, which have a very long shelf life. For some long-life products, this is indicated by the label “ultra-high temperature treated”. This means, for example, that milk is briefly exposed to very high heat for a few seconds, so that it briefly boils. This kills most microorganisms and germs, significantly slowing down the decomposition process and making the product shelf-stable.

Sounds good... right? So what's the problem?

Heat not only destroys harmful microorganisms, substances, and bacteria, but also many positive properties of fresh foods. Fresh foods contain an incredible number of trace elements and minerals, vitamins, healthy bacteria, and many other ingredients that are beneficial to health, as well as delicate aroma compounds. Some of these are also lost during pasteurization. One could also say that pasteurization is the precursor to sterilization. Research is debating whether killing germs might not ultimately weaken us in the long run, as our bodies no longer learn to cope with harmful environmental stimuli – keyword immune system.

Trending: Unpasteurized. Also at ODE.

When foods are unpasteurized, they contain more healthy components like vitamins and far more aromas. For that, we are happy to store a few more things in the fridge, aren't we? Many, especially plant-based microorganisms, are also very healthy for the gut flora. That's why fermentation, which is used for example in the production of kombucha tea or sourdough bread, is once again on the rise today. In addition to vegetarian and vegan, low-sugar and low-fat, "unpasteurized" can therefore be understood as one aspect of the shift towards healthy, natural, and delicious nutrition.

The ODE Aperitifs are a journey back to the origin of pleasure, an ode to nature itself. Our aperitifs are unpasteurized, reduced in sugar, and free from flavorings and preservatives. Complex creations, designed modernly and naturally developed.