SwEETfiNED Condensed Mii.k Deeects 201 



Lumpy Sweetened Condensed Milk 



General Description. — Lumps of varying denominations are 

 not infrequently found in sweetened condensed milk. They may 

 be soft and permeate the .contents of the can throughout, or may 

 appear especially in the form of a "smear" along the seams of 

 the can ; or again, they may float on the surface, in which case 

 they are usually hard and cheesy, and either white or yellow in 

 color. Their presence gives the contents of the can an unsightly 

 appearance at best, and in many cases, they spoil its flavor. 

 They naturally suggest to the consumer that something is wrong 

 with the condensed milk, and cause him to reject the whole 

 package. 



Causes and Prevention. — The chief causes of lumpy con- 

 densed milk are : poor quality of fresh milk, unclean pipes in fac- 

 tory, milk from fresh cows, acid flux in tin cans, and unclean 

 and contaminated tin cans. 



Poor Quality of Fresh Milk and Unclean Factory Conditions. 



— Upon opening the can of condensed milk, even shortly after it 

 is filled, the lid is covered with large and small lumps and specks 

 sticking to the tin, presenting a very uninviting appearance. 

 This condition can usually be traced back to a poor quality of 

 fresh milk, containing too much acid. Very often, too, the cause 

 lies in the factory itself, where it is due to lack of cleanliness. 

 A thorough inspection of milk pipes and pumps generally shows 

 accumulations of remnants of milk which get into the milk of 

 the succeeding batch. Where this condition exists, it is notice- 

 able that the first batch of the day contains more specks and 

 lumps than the succeeding ones. These lumps do not, as a rule, 

 grow larger in size nor increase in number with the age of the 

 condensed milk, but they injure its appearance to the eye, and 

 certainly cannot add to the wholesomeness of the milk. They 

 might easily become the cause of the formation of ptomains. 

 A more rigid inspection of all the fresh milk as it arrives at the 

 factory and thorough scouring of all milk tanks and milk pumps, 

 pipes and conveyors usually prevents the recurrence of this 

 defect. 



Milk from Fresh Cows. — During early spring there is a 

 strong tendency of the jacket and coils in the vacuum pan to 



