120 EVAPORATED MILK STRIKING 



from the pan. In this case, the process of evaporation is usually 

 carried slightly beyond the desired density of the finished prod- 

 uct, the evaporated milk is drawn from the pan into an open vat 

 or kettle where steam is turned direct into the milk until the 

 superheating- is completed, which is indicated by its greater con- 

 sistency and the slightly flaky condition of the curd. Then water 

 is added to the superheated evaporated milk to bring the product 

 back to the desired density. 



The chief purpose of superheating is to partly precipitate 

 the curd. This minimizes the danger of the formation of too 

 hard a curd in subsequent sterilization. It also lends the body 

 of the milk the appearance of greater consistency, gives it a 

 more creamy character and assists in the prevention of sub- 

 sequent fat separation. The superheating of evaporated milk is 

 not essential for the production of quality and marketable prop- 

 erties, but it is looked upon by many manufacturers as a safe- 

 guard against such defects as curdiness and fat separation. It 

 is not improbable that its advantages are much overestimated, 

 and in most factories the superheating process in entirely omitted. 



The condensing of milk for the purpose of manufacturing 

 evaporated milk may be done also in the absence of the vacuum 

 pan, by the use of the "Continuous Concentrator," the construc- 

 tion and operation of which are described in Chapter XIV on 

 "Condensing by Continuous Process." 



STRIKING. 



The striking, or sampling and testing for density, of evapor- 

 ated milk, is more easily accomplished than that of the sw r eetened 

 condensed milk. When this product has nearly reached the 

 proper density, it is not viscous and syrupy, containing no cane 

 sugar. It resembles in consistency rich milk or thin cream and 

 has a specific gravity of 1.05 to 1.075 at 15.5 degrees C. or 60 

 degrees F. 



Samples are drawn from the vacuum pan as described under 

 sweetened condensed milk and the density can be readily deter- 

 mined by means of a hydrometer. Beaume hydrometers, register- 

 ing from! 5 to 15 degrees B., are generally used. As it is im- 

 portant that the determinations be accurate, the hydrometer 



