A method for the treatment of heat-sensitive liquid food products (P), in which steam (D) directly heats the liquid food product (P) in order to form a sterile state in an infuser vessel (50; 50*, 500), in which water (W) in an amount corresponding to that of the previously supplied steam (D) is removed from the liquid food product (P) by decompression to a lower pressure, in which the liquid food product (P) is subjected to a conveyance between the heating and the decompression by means of a first conveying apparatus configured as a centrifugal pump, and in which, following the direct heating, the following treatment steps (a) and (b) are provided: the liquid food product (P) (a) is subjected to a first cooling (K1) at least on the vessel floor (50.2) of the infuser vessel (50; 50*, 500) up to an outlet opening (50.3) located there; (b) is subjected to a second cooling (K2) in a tubular section immediately adjoining the outlet opening (50.3), which tubular section is formed either by an outlet pipe leading out of the infuser vessel (50; 50*, 500) or by an intake connector of the centrifugal pump ; characterized in that the further treatment steps (c) and (d) are provided: the food product (P) (c) is subjected to a third cooling (K3) in a housing cover of a pump housing of the centrifugal pump , which housing cover immediately adjoins the outlet pipe or the intake connector ; (d) serves, with a part of its volume flow conveyed in an impeller of the centrifugal pump , which volume flow is configured to be open toward the housing cover of the centrifugal pump , for at least one planned flushing operation of the pump housing and of the impeller via a rear impeller gap (s1) which is provided between a housing rear wall of the centrifugal pump and the impeller , and via a front impeller gap (s2) which is provided between the housing cover and the impeller , wherein the volume flows of the planned flushing operations are up to several times greater than the inevitable equalization flows within the pump housing , which result from a hydraulically optimized design of the centrifugal pump with an in each case minimal rear and front impeller gap (s1 ∗ , s2 ∗ ) which ensure the mechanical functionality of the centrifugal pump . (a) is subjected to a first cooling (K1) at least on the vessel floor (50.2) of the infuser vessel (50; 50*, 500) up to an outlet opening (50.3) located there; (b) is subjected to a second cooling (K2) in a tubular section immediately adjoining the outlet opening (50.3), which tubular section is formed either by an outlet pipe leading out of the infuser vessel (50; 50*, 500) or by an intake connector of the centrifugal pump ; characterized in that the further treatment steps (c) and (d) are provided: the food product (P) (c) is subjected to a third cooling (K3) in a housing cover of a pump housing of the centrifugal pump , which housing cover immediately adjoins the outlet pipe or the intake connector ; (d) serves, with a part of its volume flow conveyed in an impeller of the centrifugal pump , which volume flow is configured to be open toward the housing cover of the centrifugal pump , for at least one planned flushing operation of the pump housing and of the impeller via a rear impeller gap (s1) which is provided between a housing rear wall of the centrifugal pump and the impeller , and via a front impeller gap (s2) which is provided between the housing cover and the impeller , wherein the volume flows of the planned flushing operations are up to several times greater than the inevitable equalization flows within the pump housing , which result from a hydraulically optimized design of the centrifugal pump with an in each case minimal rear and front impeller gap (s1 ∗ , s2 ∗ ) which ensure the mechanical functionality of the centrifugal pump . <EOS>