What is evaporated milk?

Evaporated milk is the commercial name of sterilized, unsweetened condensed cow’s milk from which a considerable portion of the water has been removed. The milk is sealed in cans and heat sterilized.

Evaporated milk, like sweetened condensed milk, was first developed in the early 19th century and has been available as a canned product for well over a century now. It is a product with high solids content and its processing includes standardization, homogenization and concentration and sterilization.

Evaporation involves removal of water by boiling, remaining after the separation of the vapors generate upon boiling.

The FDA standard for evaporated milk specifies a minimum of 6.5% milk fat, 16.5% milk solid fat, 23% total milk solids and indicates a specified quantity of added vitamin D or vitamin A per fluid ounce.

Maillard reactions are very important for the flavor and color development in evaporated milk. Reducing sugars produce brown colors that are desirable and important in some cases, such as when evaporated milk is used in coffee.
What is evaporated milk?