Think of bacteria as tiny, single-celled party animals. They love a warm, moist environment—like that leftover pizza sitting on your counter. But crank the heat to 165°F (74°C), and you’re basically throwing a house fire into their disco.
At that temperature, the proteins inside bacteria denature—a fancy word for “they curl up and die.” It’s like watching a balloon animal melt in a bonfire. Poof. No more bacteria.
But here’s the kicker: not all bacteria die at the same speed. Some are tough little nuts, like Bacillus cereus, which forms heat-resistant spores. You might boil that rice for 20 minutes, and the spores just laugh at you. They need steam pressure (like in a pressure cooker) at 250°F to really kick the bucket.
