Evaporated milk

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Evaporated milk was first conceived in 1852 by Gail Borden on a transatlantic trip. The low quality of milk produced by the cows on board served as inspiration for the idea. Borden's first evaporated milk lasted three days before it spoiled. He received the patent in 1854, but the first successful production was not until 1855 by a competitor John Meyenberg.

Evaporated milk is fresh, homogenized milk from which 60 percent of the water has been removed. It is then chilled, fortified with vitamins and stabilizers, packaged, and finally sterilized. Standards require whole evaporated milk contain at least 7.9 percent milk fat and 25.5 percent milk solids. The high heat process gives it a bit of a caramelized flavor, and it is slightly darker in color than fresh milk. The evaporation process naturally concentrates the nutrients and the calories, so evaporated versions are more calorie filled and nutritious than their fresh counterparts. When mixed with an equal amount of water, it can be substituted for fresh milk in recipes.

By definition, evaporated milk in the U.S. is not sweetened. If sugar is added, it will be called condensed milk or sweetened condensed milk. This requires less processing since the added sugar inhibits bacterial growth. Evaporated milk is the only product from cows which has government regulations requiring vitamin A to be added.

A finely-powdered form of evaporated milk is called desiccated milk.

In Malaysia and Singapore, evaporated milk contains palm oil. It is commonly added in brewed tea to make Teh See in Singapore.

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