Evaporated milk is a type of milk that underwent processing to remove 60% of its water content.  With this kind of process, evaporated milk is sometimes referred to as dehydrated milk.  Through a heating technique, as much as 60% of the milk’s water content will literally evaporate.  This removal of water is essential in terms of prolonging the shelf life of canned evaporated milk.

Evaporated milk first became popular back in the 1920s when many people had no access to refrigerators and cooling machines.  Natural fresh milk will easily spoil especially in humid climates or conditions.  To delay the spoiling of milk, people resorted to the evaporation process or dehydration and heating of basic milk.  Once the heating process is done, more than half of the milk’s water should have evaporated already making it last longer under the right conditions.  Under most cases, after dehydration, evaporated milk will then undergo homogenization.  This process will ensure that the milk’s texture and consistency will be uniform and smooth. All parts of the milk will be equalized in terms of size and consistency including the fat and water contents. After which, canning and sterilization is done to further remove possible unwanted bacteria and prolong the milk’s shelf life.

Aside from basic fresh milk, many people like the taste of evaporated milk as it is also perfect in making various dessert creations.  Unlike condensed milk that is already sweetened, evaporated milk is considered a good alternative for those who simply want to have a milky flavor without the sweetness of sugar.  Instead of heavy cream, evaporated may also be used for cooking.  The best thing about evaporated milk is that it can be re-converted ad re-processed back to fresh milk by adding back the water.  People just need to add a similar amount of water to their evaporated milk to make it standard fresh milk again.