The Truth about Non-Milk Sweetened Condensed Milk and Its Uses

KOMPAS.com – Sweetened condensed milk is a food ingredient that has become an inseparable part of various dishes throughout the world.

However, recently there has been a lot of talk that sweetened condensed milk is not milk, causing confusion among consumers.

This issue grew because this product was considered to not contain milk and could not be consumed directly, such as brewing it.

For this reason, this article will explore the truth about the belief that sweetened condensed milk is not milk, the history of its manufacture and government regulations regarding this very popular food product.

Assuming sweetened condensed milk is not milk

Many people are still confused because they are trapped in the assumption that sweetened condensed milk is not milk.

Regarding this matter, Regulation of the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Number 21 of 2016 states that sweetened condensed milk is a processed milk product. This product is obtained by removing some of the water from a mixture of milk and sugar until it reaches a certain level of concentration.

Also read: Is it true that sweetened condensed milk is not milk? This is the answer

BPOM places sweetened condensed milk in the sub-category of condensed milk and its analogues, which is one of the sub-categories of the category of milk and its processed products.

The regulations from BPOM emphasize that milk is one of the main ingredients in making sweetened condensed milk.

For the record, these foods should not be given to babies under five years of age (toddlers) because the growth and development process still requires breast milk (ASI).

History of making sweetened condensed milk

To further answer the notion that sweetened condensed milk is not milk, let’s go back in time to get to know an innovator named Gail Borden from the United States (US).

In the 19th century, Gail was looking for a way to produce dairy products that could be stored for long periods, especially for long-distance travel. In 1856, Gail succeeded in creating sweetened condensed milk by heating and reducing water.

Also read: Is Sweetened Condensed Milk Not Milk? Facts and History in Asia

Through this method, Gail succeeded in reducing the water content in milk and adding sugar as a natural preservative, resulting in thick milk that is sweet and long-lasting.

Gail’s innovation is able to extend the shelf life of milk and provide a more practical alternative when used for traveling and other uses.

The method for sweetened condensed milk is quickly becoming global

Over time, sweetened condensed milk has become popular throughout the world. Starting from Gail’s discovery, this product rose to popularity as a food ingredient in the US Civil War.

The development of dairy products continued to develop and gained increasing popularity in the 20th century, including to Indonesia when the Dutch brought them during colonialism.