Final answer:
Pasteurization, developed by Louis Pasteur, is a method that applies heat to food to reduce spoilage-causing microbes and kill pathogens while maintaining food quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of using just enough heat to kill most of the bacteria that cause spoilage in foods was developed by Louis Pasteur.
This process is known as pasteurization, which is a critical method used to make food products such as milk, beer, and wine safe for consumption by reducing the number of spoilage-causing microbes and killing pathogens, without rendering the products sterile. This method has a significant impact on public health by making food safer and extending its shelf life.