CHEMICAL COMPOSITION 163 



ened condensed milk as obtained from the results of analyses of 

 a large number of different brands. 



Average Composition of Sweetened Condensed Milk 



Water 26.5 per cent, 



rfat 9.0 per cent.^ 



7V/r ,, 1 ,.j I proteids 8.5 per cent. 00 ,. 



Milk solids. < no > 32.6 P er cent - 



| milk sugar 13.3 per cent. C 



(^ash 1.8 per cent.J 



Cane sugar 40.9 per cent. 



Total 100.0 per cent. 



Water. The water content is largely governed by the de- 

 gree of condensation and the per cent, of cane sugar. American 

 brands average from 24 per cent to 28 per cent water. In ex- 

 ceptional cases milk has been found to contain as low as 21 per 

 cent, and as high as 34 per cent, water. 



Milk Solids. The per cent, of milk solids is largely governed 

 by the per cent, of milk solids in fresh milk and the degree of 

 condensation. In the majority of brands the solids fluctuate be- 

 tween 30 and 34 per cent. ; in extreme cases analyses have shown 

 as low as 28 per cent, and as high as 40 per cent, milk solids. 

 The relative proportion in which the various solid constituents 

 are present is the same as that in the fresh milk from which the 

 condensed milk is made, provided that the fresh milk was not 

 skimmed previous to condensing. 



Butterfat. The butter fat in sweetened condensed whole 

 milk fluctuates from about 8 to 12 per cent., according to locality, 

 season of year and degree of condensation. Sweetened con- 

 densed milk sold in barrels is usually partly or wholly skimmed 

 and is, therefore, low in fat. It has been suggested that a small 

 portion of the milk fat is lost during the process of condensation, 

 and this theory is frequently resorted to by condensed milk men 

 to explain why their milk is low in fat. It has been claimed by 

 some that the volatile fats (volatile fatty acids) are lost during the 

 process of condensation. This claim is not well founded, since 



