A negative phosphate test is used to verify?

A negative phosphate test is indeed used to verify whether milk has been pasteurized. This test is based on the principle that phosphatase, an enzyme naturally present in raw milk, is inactivated during the pasteurization process. When milk is heated to the necessary temperature for pasteurization, the enzyme is destroyed, leading to a negative result in a phosphate test.

If the milk tests negative for the presence of phosphatase, it indicates that the milk has undergone proper pasteurization, effectively ensuring that harmful bacteria have been reduced to safe levels and that the milk is safe for consumption. Thus, a negative phosphate test serves as an important verification step in quality control within dairy processing. The other options refer to characteristics of milk that are not connected to the phosphate test, making them less relevant in this context.