EVAPORATED MILK STERILIZING 141 



five minutes, and this time should be about evenly distributed 

 over the last ten degrees. 



Of recent years, the practice of stopping the reel of the 

 sterilizer, either at intervals or when the maximum temperature 

 has been reached, has been adopted by some of the manufactur- 

 ers. In this case, the temperature usually is rapidly raised to 

 about 240 degrees F., and after keeping the reel running at this 

 temperature for a few minutes (about two minutes) the reel is 

 stopped and this temperature is maintained for from 15 to 20 

 minutes, with the cans lying still. When the "hold" is com- 

 pleted, the cooling proceeds in the usual way. Some condens- 

 eries stop the reel for several minutes once or twice when the 

 temperature has been lowered and, before it has dropped to below 

 212 degrees F. 



When the stop process of sterilizing is used it is advisable 

 also to superheat the evaporated milk to about 210 degrees F. 

 in the vacuum pan; then cool it to about 140 degrees F. and 

 draw it into the standardizing vat where it is standardized to 

 the desired point, then it is homogenized, filled and sterilized. 

 The superheating can also be done in the standardizing vat 

 instead in the pan, by simply blowing steam direct into the 

 evaporated milk. 



Mojonnier Bros. Co. recommend that, where the stop proc- 

 ess is used, the temperature be raised 3 degrees F. higher (or 

 to 243 degrees F.), than when the reel is kept revolving during 

 the entire process. They further recommend that the tempera- 

 ture be maintained at 243 degrees F. for 15 minutes, during 

 the last seven minutes of which the reel be stopped. This 

 refers to a "coming-up time" (from 190 degrees F. to 240 degrees 

 F.) of 10 minutes. 



This method of sterilizing, by stopping the reel, has the 

 advantage of developing in the cans a soft, custard-like coagu- 

 lum, giving the product a very heavy consistency and making it 

 appear rich and creamy. It represents a form of superheating, 

 however, which if not done with great care, may prove disas- 

 trous, causing the evaporated milk to spontaneously thicken and 

 become cheesy in consistency upon storage. Most batches of the 

 stop-reel process require shaking. 



In his efforts to insure complete sterility the operator should 



