What process, developed by Louis Pasteur, provided the scientific validation for Appert's empirical technique?

Pasteurization

Louis Pasteur's contributions in the mid-1800s were crucial because they explained the *why* behind the practical methods that had existed for centuries. Pasteur conducted research specifically on fermentation and spoilage, leading to the groundbreaking discovery that invisible living organisms, referred to as microbes, were the agents responsible for degrading food quality. He subsequently demonstrated that subjecting a substance to a specific temperature for a defined period—heating it sufficiently—would effectively neutralize these harmful microorganisms without substantially compromising the texture or nutritional value of the food product. This scientific confirmation of heat-based microbial destruction became formally known as pasteurization, transforming Appert's successful but unexplained art into reproducible science.