CONDENSED MILK. 211 



This so-called "condensed milk" as manufactured in parti- 

 cular by the "Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company" in their 

 chief factory at Cham, on Lake Zug, and in a number of branch 

 establishments outside Switzerland is prepared in the following 

 manner : The fresh new milk is purified by centrifugal force, and 

 is then heated on a water-bath until nearly boiling, and mixed (in 

 a wooden vat fitted with a steam coil) with 12 per cent, of cane- 

 sugar. When this is dissolved the liquid is passed through a fine 

 sieve and transferred to a vacuum pan, where the thickening process 

 is effected at a temperature of 5o-6o C. As soon as the requisite 

 degree of consistency is attained the milk is run off, rapidly cooled, 

 and packed in clean tins, which are soldered air-tight. Commercial 

 condensed milk contains about 25 per cent, of water and 50 per 

 cent, of sugar, the remainder consisting of albumin (12 per cent.), 

 fat (n per cent.), and ash (2 per cent.). 



Some of the germs present in the new milk, especially the 

 lactic acid bacteria, are already killed by the aforesaid heating 

 before and during the thickening process. A few, however, sur- 

 vive this, and are found to be still alive in the finished product, 

 but not in a condition to do any damage, since the high concen- 

 tration plasmolyses the germs, retarding their development and so 

 preventing decomposition. By reason of its high content of sugar, 

 however, this condensed milk is unsuitable for the nourishment of 

 infants. 



