Condensed milk- the product is very tasty and loved by both children and adults. However, many understand that not all manufacturers are conscientious about the production of this delicacy. That is why today we will talk about how to choose condensed milk that is not only tasty, but also healthy for the whole family.
Let's start with what criteria you should use to choose condensed milk in a store:
1. Label.
When choosing condensed milk, look at its label and read what it says. Good condensed milk must be made in accordance with GOST. In addition, real condensed milk can only be called:
Whole sweetened condensed milk
Condensed cream with sugar,
Skim sweetened condensed milk.
If the delicacy is called “Condensed milk”, “Condensed milk”, “Boiled condensed milk”, Condensed milk and cream”, “Varenka” or has other names, this means that it contains substitutes for natural substances. It's better not to buy such a product.
low quality condensed milk
the best condensed milk according to the test purchase result
2. Packaging.
Condensed milk can be produced in metal or plastic containers. Both types of containers do not affect the taste and quality of the product, provided that the manufacturing technology has not been violated. Therefore, you should not buy condensed milk in deformed or dented cans. In addition, even after opening condensed milk at home, it is best to pour it into glass jars.
3. Contents of the jar
Color. Good condensed milk has a white color with a cream tint. If the product has a greenish tint or light brown color, it means it is of very low quality or its manufacturing technology has been violated.
Consistency. It should be homogeneous, without lumps and sugar crystals. The sandiness and mealiness of the product indicates its poor quality.
The sugariness of condensed milk is a sign that it has expired or is about to expire.
Smell and taste good condensed milk should be clean (without foreign aromas and tastes) and have a pronounced taste of milk.
Product defects Under no circumstances should it be used:
Presence of dark spots or mold under the cover
Bitter, musty, rancid or other odor
Swollen, dented or deformed cans
Foreign impurities in the product.
According to the results of the well-known TV show “Test Purchase”, which takes place on Channel One, the brand became the leader among condensed milk "Alekseevskoe"- http://www.aif.ru/health/food/1110801.
Alekseevskoe whole condensed milk with sugar - the best product our industry has to offer today.
Condensed milk is a very healthy nutritious food product that is obtained from whole cow's milk by removing part of the water from it and further processing. Condensed milk retains all the beneficial properties of milk, despite the fact that it is subjected to heat treatment for condensation.
Compound condensed milk is rich in important amino acids and vitamins; 100 g of product contains:
- PP (0.2 mg),
- B2 (0.2 mg),
- B3 (0.8 mg),
- B6 (0.1 mg),
- B9 (2 mg),
- B12 (0.4 mg),
- E (0.2 mg),
- choline (29 mg).
Microelements are preserved in condensed milk (per 100 g):
- potassium (318 mg),
- phosphorus (224 mg),
- sodium (124 mg),
- calcium (282 mg),
- magnesium (30 mg),
- sulfur (69 mg).
Calorie content of condensed milk
The main components of this food product are cow's milk and sugar, so condensed milk is a very high-calorie product. It consists of 8.5% saturated fatty acids and 35% milk. The moisture content is no more than 26.5%.
Due to the high content of fat (8.5 g), carbohydrates (56 g), and protein (7.2 g) in 100 grams, this sweet product is not recommended for people with diabetes, as well as those on a diet.
The energy value of condensed milk is 328 kcal per 100 g. Of these, 29 kcal are from proteins, 77 kcal are from fats, 222 kcal are from carbohydrates. The good news is that, unlike many sweets, condensed milk is very healthy.
Beneficial features
The process of converting milk into condensed milk occurs at a temperature of 60 degrees, which allows the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements contained in the original product not to be destroyed and preserved. Therefore, it is no less useful than whole milk. The difference between them is in fat content, the presence of sugar, shelf life, but most importantly, condensed milk is better absorbed by the body than whole milk containing lactose.
In addition, microelements and vitamins retain their beneficial properties for a long time (1 year). Real condensed milk replaces whole milk products, supplying the body with the necessary nutrients.
Unfortunately, nowadays, in the production of condensed milk, they increasingly deviate from standards and prepare it from skimmed milk powder, cheap vegetable oil, and unnatural ingredients. Such a product is not beneficial, but harmful to health.
How to choose real condensed milk
- NAME. “Condensed milk” and “Condensed milk” are not the same thing! Only the name “Condensed Milk” is protected by law. The manufacturer does not have the right to add any vegetable fats to the jar with it. And palm oil - first of all.
- GOST Choose jars that indicate GOST. The quality of condensed milk is regulated by GOST 2903-78 and the newer GOST R 53436-2009.
- MANUFACTURER. Large and reputable factories are more scrupulous about the quality of their products, they are checked more strictly, and it is for them that the “tarnishing” of their reputation is most dangerous.
- COMPOUND.
The composition of condensed milk according to GOST is only:
- cow's milk or cream
- sugar
- stabilizers - some sodium - or potassium containing substances
- antioxidant - only ascorbic acid.
The important thing is that condensed milk can easily do without the last two components. They are added only to those canned milk products that need to be stored for a long time.
5. APPEARANCE OF THE CAN. Iron, which is part of the can material, can have a very negative impact on the condition of the milk itself. As a rule, to protect milk from contact with iron, the wall of the jar is coated with a thin layer of a special substance. If the can is deformed, this layer at the bend may crack. The consequences can be different, so it is better to leave crumpled cans to continue standing on the shelf.
The technology for making the product was patented by American inventor Gale Borden. He was looking for a way to store a dairy product for the long term. And he found it in 1856. And in 1858, the world's first factory for the production of condensed milk opened in America.
By the way, Borden’s technology has not changed much since then: 180 grams of sugar are taken per liter of milk, this mixture is boiled down to 400 grams. Only earlier milk was evaporated in ordinary metal tanks, now in special vacuum evaporation units. As a result, the mass becomes viscous, elastic, and acquires a creamy tint. This way milk is stored much longer without losing its beneficial qualities.
Taste of childhood
Artyk Seytkalieva, the president of the Public Association for the Protection of Consumer Rights “Adal,” and I purchased the products for tasting at a large Almaty supermarket.
Familiar jars with your favorite delicacy were visible and invisible on store shelves. By the way, such jars with white and blue paper labels are a kind of product brand. This is exactly the condensed milk that grandparents, mothers and fathers remember, and this is exactly how we and our children know it.
For tasting, we chose only those jars that said “sweetened condensed milk.” It should be noted that there are few of them. Much larger than others, with the inscription “condensed milk”. But these are different products. Although they are similar - both in the design of the jars and in the sticky sweet contents.
— The product “condensed milk” is a milk-containing product. It does not contain real drinking milk, and milk fat is replaced with vegetable fat,” explained Lydia Golimbet, head of the physical and chemical research group at the Product Quality Testing Center.
“When buying a product, you should pay attention to the composition,” Lidiya Mikheeva, an expert at the Dairy Union of Kazakhstan, picks up the conversation. — If it says on the can that it is “Sweetened condensed milk,” but it contains only whole milk, cream and sugar, then it is a real dairy product. If the label says “Condensed milk” and the composition contains vegetable fat or another milk fat substitute, then this is already a milk-containing product.
The main difference between milk-containing products and all others is the presence of non-dairy components that replace milk fat. Naturally, such a product has completely different qualities; it does not have all the properties of milk. Such products should cost less than dairy products, since the raw materials themselves are 4-5 times cheaper than dairy products. But it is not yet possible to say anything good or bad about milk-containing products. There is a debate going on among experts and different opinions are being published. So the buyer must decide for himself what to buy - “Condensed milk” or “Sweetened condensed milk”.
For tasting, we bought 4 samples of condensed milk with sugar. In the laboratory of the Product Quality Testing Center, the jars were numbered, and their contents were poured into transparent cups.
Laboratory specialists brought anonymous samples to the tasting table, and the experts, not knowing which brands and manufacturers were hidden behind the numbers on the cups, assessed their contents based on organoleptic indicators.
These are taste, smell, color, consistency. That is, those criteria by which consumers themselves do not always consciously evaluate the product, determining whether they like it or not.
Sample No. 1. Condensed milk with sugar, produced by Maslo-Del, Kazakhstan.
The color is white, uniform throughout the mass. The consistency is dense, elastic and homogeneous in appearance, but a slight crunch of milk sugar crystals is felt on the teeth.
— The taste is sweet, as befits condensed milk with sugar, but the aftertaste turned out to be unpleasant and greasy. There were also unpleasant notes in the smell of the product. The foreign taste was most likely transferred to the product from the raw materials. Either the milk was of poor quality or the sugar,” Lidiya Mikheeva described the sample.
Rating 3.7 points out of five possible.
Sample No. 2. Condensed milk with sugar from Rogachevsky milk canning plant, Belarus.
The consistency is homogeneous, viscous, thick. The taste is sweet, clean, with a pronounced taste of pasteurized milk. Free of foreign tastes and odors. The color is white with a cream tint, uniform throughout the mass.
Rating: “excellent”.
Sample No. 3. Condensed milk with sugar “Lyubimoye”, manufacturer – Lyublinsky Milk Canning Plant, Omsk, Russia.
— A very good example, without any comments or complaints. Pure taste, consistency quite thick, homogeneous, elastic. All tasters gave this sample the highest score of “excellent,” noted Marina Kuzhukeyeva, a food hygiene specialist.
Sample No. 4. Alekseevskoe condensed milk with sugar. Alekseevsky dairy plant, Belgorod, Russia.
The consistency is homogeneous, plastic, but somewhat liquid. The color is white, with a cream tint. The taste of natural whole milk is gentle and pleasant. But sugar crystals are slightly felt on the tongue, so the rating is reduced,” Lidia Mikheeva commented on the decision of the tasting commission.
Average score: 4.8.
Let's sum it up
After determining the organoleptic qualities of the samples, the experts finally found out which manufacturers' condensed milk they tested. And we were able to evaluate the labeling of these samples.
— All jars are supplied with complete information about the product. Name, manufacturer, expiration dates, storage conditions, composition - all this is indicated on the labels,” noted Lydia Golimbet. - And this is very good. Because the label is the “passport” of the product. This is the first thing the consumer encounters when choosing.
And here are the results.
— The tasting pleased me. All samples are good, all meet the standard requirements. No defects or defects were identified. There were, of course, minor shortcomings that manufacturers need to pay attention to and correct,” Marina Kuzhukeyeva said in conclusion. – Well, two samples turned out to be flawless and received the highest score. This is condensed milk with sugar from the Rogachevsky milk canning plant (sample No. 2) and Lyubimoe milk (sample No. 3).
The technology for making the product was patented by American inventor Gale Borden. He was looking for a way to store a dairy product for the long term. And he found it in 1856. And in 1858, the world's first factory for the production of condensed milk opened in America.
By the way, Borden’s technology has not changed much since then: 180 grams of sugar are taken per liter of milk, this mixture is boiled down to 400 grams. Only earlier milk was evaporated in ordinary metal tanks, now in special vacuum evaporation units. As a result, the mass becomes viscous, elastic, and acquires a creamy tint. This way milk is stored much longer without losing its beneficial qualities.
Taste of childhood
Artyk Seytkalieva, the president of the Public Association for the Protection of Consumer Rights “Adal,” and I purchased the products for tasting at a large Almaty supermarket.
Familiar jars with your favorite delicacy were visible and invisible on store shelves. By the way, such jars with white and blue paper labels are a kind of product brand. This is exactly the condensed milk that grandparents, mothers and fathers remember, and this is exactly how we and our children know it.
For tasting, we chose only those jars that said “sweetened condensed milk.” It should be noted that there are few of them. Much larger than others, with the inscription “condensed milk”. But these are different products. Although they are similar - both in the design of the jars and in the sticky sweet contents.
— The product “condensed milk” is a milk-containing product. It does not contain real drinking milk, and milk fat is replaced with vegetable fat,” explained Lydia Golimbet, head of the physical and chemical research group at the Product Quality Testing Center.
“When buying a product, you should pay attention to the composition,” Lidiya Mikheeva, an expert at the Dairy Union of Kazakhstan, picks up the conversation. — If it says on the can that it is “Sweetened condensed milk,” but it contains only whole milk, cream and sugar, then it is a real dairy product. If the label says “Condensed milk” and the composition contains vegetable fat or another milk fat substitute, then this is already a milk-containing product.
The main difference between milk-containing products and all others is the presence of non-dairy components that replace milk fat. Naturally, such a product has completely different qualities; it does not have all the properties of milk. Such products should cost less than dairy products, since the raw materials themselves are 4-5 times cheaper than dairy products. But it is not yet possible to say anything good or bad about milk-containing products. There is a debate going on among experts and different opinions are being published. So the buyer must decide for himself what to buy - “Condensed milk” or “Sweetened condensed milk”.
For tasting, we bought 4 samples of condensed milk with sugar. In the laboratory of the Product Quality Testing Center, the jars were numbered, and their contents were poured into transparent cups.
Laboratory specialists brought anonymous samples to the tasting table, and the experts, not knowing which brands and manufacturers were hidden behind the numbers on the cups, assessed their contents based on organoleptic indicators.
These are taste, smell, color, consistency. That is, those criteria by which consumers themselves do not always consciously evaluate the product, determining whether they like it or not.
Sample No. 1. Condensed milk with sugar, produced by Maslo-Del, Kazakhstan.
The color is white, uniform throughout the mass. The consistency is dense, elastic and homogeneous in appearance, but a slight crunch of milk sugar crystals is felt on the teeth.
— The taste is sweet, as befits condensed milk with sugar, but the aftertaste turned out to be unpleasant and greasy. There were also unpleasant notes in the smell of the product. The foreign taste was most likely transferred to the product from the raw materials. Either the milk was of poor quality or the sugar,” Lidiya Mikheeva described the sample.
Rating 3.7 points out of five possible.
Sample No. 2. Condensed milk with sugar from Rogachevsky milk canning plant, Belarus.
The consistency is homogeneous, viscous, thick. The taste is sweet, clean, with a pronounced taste of pasteurized milk. Free of foreign tastes and odors. The color is white with a cream tint, uniform throughout the mass.
Rating: “excellent”.
Sample No. 3. Condensed milk with sugar “Lyubimoye”, manufacturer – Lyublinsky Milk Canning Plant, Omsk, Russia.
— A very good example, without any comments or complaints. Pure taste, consistency quite thick, homogeneous, elastic. All tasters gave this sample the highest score of “excellent,” noted Marina Kuzhukeyeva, a food hygiene specialist.
Sample No. 4. Alekseevskoe condensed milk with sugar. Alekseevsky dairy plant, Belgorod, Russia.
The consistency is homogeneous, plastic, but somewhat liquid. The color is white, with a cream tint. The taste of natural whole milk is gentle and pleasant. But sugar crystals are slightly felt on the tongue, so the rating is reduced,” Lidia Mikheeva commented on the decision of the tasting commission.
Average score: 4.8.
Let's sum it up
After determining the organoleptic qualities of the samples, the experts finally found out which manufacturers' condensed milk they tested. And we were able to evaluate the labeling of these samples.
— All jars are supplied with complete information about the product. Name, manufacturer, expiration dates, storage conditions, composition - all this is indicated on the labels,” noted Lydia Golimbet. - And this is very good. Because the label is the “passport” of the product. This is the first thing the consumer encounters when choosing.
And here are the results.
— The tasting pleased me. All samples are good, all meet the standard requirements. No defects or defects were identified. There were, of course, minor shortcomings that manufacturers need to pay attention to and correct,” Marina Kuzhukeyeva said in conclusion. – Well, two samples turned out to be flawless and received the highest score. This is condensed milk with sugar from the Rogachevsky milk canning plant (sample No. 2) and Lyubimoe milk (sample No. 3).
Gone are the days when condensed milk was a healthy product - a concentrate of milk and sugar. Now you can find anything you want in a tin or plastic jar called “sweetened condensed milk.” And the inscription: made according to GOST does not guarantee anything.
Hi all.
I decided to raise the topic of safe food. I'll start with condensed milk, beloved by many.
I've been buying this product less and less lately. Mainly for creams and baked goods. I only take condensed milk from a small dairy plant located in the suburbs, since the plant generally has a good reputation. But there are still doubts.
Previously, when I bought any jars, without thinking, there was an unpleasant story. Instead of condensed milk there was a strange mass of rich dirty beige color. Of course, I immediately went to the store to return this product. To which the seller objected to me: “Girl, normal condensed milk, it doesn’t stink!”
You know, it really didn’t stink. I can’t say anything about the taste, since I didn’t dare try it. But the money for the condensed milk was still returned. After a little scandal.
No milk found in this milk
And now a few words about the condensed milk itself.
Ideally, this is natural condensed milk with sugar. As the name suggests. No additives. This is where its production began. This composition was fixed by GOST 2903-78.
But since 2002, entrepreneurs realized that they could save on production and technical conditions appeared, technical specifications in a simple way. That is, the composition was not regulated, but at the discretion of the manufacturer. There could be anything in these jars. But the price per jar was lower.
Gradually, the main component - milk - was replaced with various substances that helped achieve the required fat content and acidity levels. They began to add vegetable fats, then replaced them with palm oil, and in some places with substandard fats. Instead of natural milk, milk powder was used first, then waste from cheese production - whey.
As a result, condensed milk lost not only its taste parameters. But the main thing is that she lost her benefit. And in some places, this is now a really dangerous product. Broadcasts often contain information about the discovery of dangerous dyes and stabilizers in condensed milk. They also report that the microflora of the product is disturbed.
By the way, the presence of GOST on the bank is also not a panacea. Because, firstly, as it turns out, many enterprises simply lie that there is nothing in their cans except milk and sugar.
And secondly, a great loophole in the law has appeared for manufacturers. The strict Soviet GOST was first replaced by GOST R 53436-2009, which allowed for the absence of a pronounced taste in milk and allowed the use of a list of additives E.
And then GOST R 53507-2009 was adopted, which further expanded the scope of the use of various components in condensed milk.
Please note that the jar may also have the inscription GOST ISO 9001-2001. But this has nothing to do with condensed milk. This is a plant certification for compliance with the quality management system.
Doubts VS sympathy
I surfed the forums. And I compiled a small list of condensed milk manufacturers who are spat on and who they prefer. Maybe it will be useful to someone. If you have any additions, write x in the comments to the article.
So, manufacturers with a minus sign:
- Verkhovsky plant - Glavproduct
- Gagarinsky plant
- Porechsky plant
- Ostankino
I found positive reviews about them:
- Alekseevsky (Russia)
- Rogachevsky plant (Belarus)
- Glubokoe plant (Belarus)
How to choose real condensed milk
There are several points to consider when choosing.
When purchasing, pay attention to where the condensed milk is located. Condensed milk in cans has a shelf life of 1 year at temperatures from zero to +10 degrees. So in the store, condensed milk should be in the refrigerator.
Don't buy cheap boiled milk. Substandard products from the plant are poured into it and digested. Often with significant excesses in microbiological indicators. Which is already dangerous. However, if white milk with microflora bombards the jar and swells, then boiled milk will not, although the microflora there will be unreal.
Do not take bottled condensed milk - a 1 kilogram bottle of real milk should cost at least 100 rubles. Cheaper milk should raise suspicion. Plus, in plastic it is possible for air to get into the product.
And the main thing is the price. If you see a unique offer for a can of condensed milk for 20-25 rubles, this is counterfeit condensed milk from unknown low-quality products. A can of real condensed milk will cost at least 50 rubles.
After all, not a single plant will operate at a loss. This means that you will be left at a loss by buying and feeding your family with an incomprehensible and unsafe product.
And in light of everything written above, I decided to learn how to cook condensed milk at home. I wanted to start today, but my son came home from school and was glad that they were having a tea party tomorrow. I'm going to bake waffle rolls)))
And as soon as I cook condensed milk, I’ll share the recipes and taste sensations. Come back for a tasting!
And finally the video. This is a documentary about what condensed milk is made from. Creepy. And there are results of examination of several GOST condensed milk from well-known manufacturers, in which no milk was found or it was significantly less than expected. By the way, trade names are not closed)
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