Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1883 — How Condensed Milk is Made. [ARTICLE]

How Condensed Milk is Made.

We publish the article beneath from the Scientific Farmer. The condensing of niilfejis no doubt an industry of great interest to the dairyman and farmer, as well as to the consumer. By it milk—which is a perishable article—can be preserved for lengthened periods, retaining its freshness, and the cost of transport is reduced to a ihinimum: “When the milk'is brought into the factory it is carefully strained, placed in cans or pails, which are put into a tank of water kept hot by steam coils. When hot, it is transferred to larger, steam-heated, open vessels, and quickly brought to a noil. This preliminary heating and boiling has for its object the expulsion of the gases of milk, which would cause it to foam in the vacuum-pan, and also to add to the keeping quality of milk by destroying the mold germs. A second straining follows, after which the milk is transferred to a vacuum-pan, where, at a temperature below 160 degrees Fahr., it bojls and is rapidly concentrated to any degree desired. The vacuum-pan employed is a close vessel of copper, -six =- It is heated by steam coils within, and by a steam jacket without, enclosing the lower portion. In one side of the dome is a small window through w’hich the gas illuminates the interior, while on the opposite side is an eye-glass, through which the condition of the contents is observed. The pan is also provided with a vacuum gauge and test sticks. “Much of the milk used in cities is simply concentrated, without any addition of sugar. The process of concentration is continued in the vacuumpan until one gallon of ther.piilk has been reduced to a little le’&s than a quart —one volume of condensed milk corresponding to about four and threetenths volumes of milk. Condensed milk intended to be preserved length of time has an addition of pure cane sugar made,to it during the boiling, and is usually put up in sealed cans. This sugared or preserved milk, when properly prepared, will keep for many years.”