Original: Instead pasteurization aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming the pasteurized product is stored as indicated and consumed before its expiration date).
Simplified: Instead, pasteurization wants to get a "log reduction" in the number of viable organisms. It wants to bring their number down so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming the pasteurized product is kept in the refrigerator and consumed before its expiration date).