230 SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK DEFECTS 



crystals, although to a relatively slight degree. Nevertheless, 

 sweetened condensed skimmed milk will settle less readily than 

 sweetened condensed whole milk. 



Effect of Cane Sugar Content on Sugar Sediment. The per 

 cent of cane sugar materially influences the specific gravity and 

 viscosity of the condensed milk. Milk with a high per cent of 

 sucrose is heavier, more viscous and drops its sugar crystals 

 less readily than milk with a low per cent of sucrose. 



Turning the Cans to Prevent Sugar Sediment. Concerns 

 who have been continually troubled with settled milk often resort 

 to the practice of turning- their cases daily, or at other regular 

 intervals. This keeps the precipitated crystals in motion, but 

 it does not prevent the- settling entirely. Moreover, milk des- 

 tined to settle, as the result of defects in the process, cannot 

 be prevented from dropping its crystals after it leaves the fac- 

 tory. Some concerns have stooped to printing on their labels 

 statements similar to the following: "A sediment in the bottom 

 of this can indicates that this condensed milk is absolutely pure 

 and free from harmful ingredients." Advice of the above de- 

 nomination is obviously ridiculous as well as untrue. 



Adding Powdered Milk Sugar. It has been explained that 

 after the condensed milk is cooled it contains sugar crystals. If 

 those crystals are large, their cubic content is relatively great 

 in proportion to their surface. Their buoyancy is, therefore, 

 sufficient to overcome the resistance of the surrounding' liquid 

 and they will drop to the bottom, forming a sediment. If these 

 crystals are very small and fine they are not objectionable and 

 they usually do not cause settled milk, because their gravity 

 force is insufficient to overcome the resistance of the viscous 

 syrup. It has been further shown that the size of the sugar 

 crystals is largely determined by the size of the first crystals 

 present. Experience has demonstrated that the addition to 

 the condensed milk before cooling, of very fine sugar crystals, 

 such as powdered milk sugar contains, encourages the formation 

 of very small crystals and tends to guard against the develop- 

 ment of large and coarse crystals during subsequent cooling. 

 Hence sugar sediment may be greatly minimized, if not entirely 

 prevented, by adding to the hot sweetened condensed milk, a 

 small amount of powdered milk sugar, at the rate of a tea- 



