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Story: Food

Pasteurised milk poster, 1940s

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Pasteurised milk poster, 1940s

Milk was pasteurised (heat treated) from the 1940s, a process that kills bacteria that can cause food poisoning and make milk deteriorate or 'go off'. This Department of Health poster highlights the virtues of pasteurised milk. More milk was drunk by New Zealanders after pasteurisation was introduced.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-D-HEALTH-1940s-01

Courtesy of Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

David Burton, Food – Dairy products, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/39135/pasteurised-milk-poster-1940s (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by David Burton, published 3 December 2012.