Lactobacillus wasatchensis can be part of the nonstarter lactic acid bacteria microbiota of cheese and has been associated with unwanted gas production during storage. Our objective was to determine whether Lb. wasatchensis can survive pasteurization of milk and this allows its entry into the cheese manufacturing process as previous studies suggested they could survive at a low level. To determine if Lb. wasatchensis can survive high temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization using a plate heat exchanger, Lb. wasatchensis WDC04 was grown in MRS-ribose broth and then inoculated into 30-L batches of raw whole milk at levels of 10⁸ cfu/mL. The inoculated milk was then processed in the university creamery with the HTST pasteurizer set at 69, 72, 74, and 76°C, a holding time of 15 s, with water preceding and following the milk. Samples of milk were collected at triplicate times previously observed to not be diluted with water and the numbers of Lb. wasatchensis counted on MRS-ribose agar after anaerobic incubation for 5 d at 25°C. No survival of Lb. wasatchensis was observed at any of the temperatures, including the sub-pasteurization treatment of 69°C for 15 s. Since there was at least an 8-log destruction of Lb. wasatchensis during normal pasteurization, or even sub-pasteurization heat treatment of milk at 69°C (156°F), its presence as part of the NSLAB microbiota of cheese appears to be through other environmental contamination rather than directly from the incoming pasteurized milk.