Sweetened condensed milk quality parameters can be divided into:
  1. quality aspects of physics
  2. quality aspects of chemical
  3. aspects of the microbiological quality
  4. organoleptic

Physical Quality Parameters 

Physical parameters that are important to consumers is:
  • viscosity
  • separation of fat.

Viscosity is important for consumers who use sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed cream as an ingredient to make a cake or drinks. If too watery to be wasteful, conversely if too thick will be difficult to get out of the hole made in the can. High calcium content in product will make the viscosity increase, result in thickened, otherwise the protein content is too low can result in decreased viscosity resulting in too watery.

In general, sweetened condensed cream formulations using sweet whey powder (SWP) as a substitute for skim milk powder. SWP prices far cheaper than the SMP, but lower protein content and higher calcium. These differences will affect the viscosity of the composition of the final product so that in the formula needs to be added sequestran to bind free calcium, starch to increase the total solids and carrageenan to adjust viscosity. Total solids in the final product must be at least 72% to keep the SWR is not too low. With the addition of SWP, starch, and carrageenan must be considered because the three ingredient mixing process requires certain conditions in order to dissolve completely.

Fat separation generally occurs when the homogenization process is not effective and the ratio of fat to protein or casein in the formula is greater than 5:1. Sweetened condensed cream products are very susceptible to separation of fat because the product contains high vegetable fat (palm oil or coconut oil) and low protein (casein,) this is to increase the total solids. Separation of fat resulting in fat accumulation at the top of the can so that when tin is opened as if the milk clot.

Therefore, the condition must be sought the most effective process of homogenization which includes temperature and pressure in the homogenizer. The addition of emulsifiers are generally effective in preventing the separation of fat, only necessary to find an appropriate emulsifier so as not to impact on the organoleptic. Dissolution of emulsifier also noteworthy because of emulsifier that does not dissolve completely will not be effective. Usually dissolved in the fat advance at a certain temperature, before mixing with other ingredients. Use butter milk powder (BMP) is usually enough to help prevent fat separation because BMP is rich in phospholipids of the milk which serves as an effective emulsifier.

Chemical Quality Parameters

Included in the chemical parameters are the content of nutrients in products such as fat, protein, sugar (sucrose) and others. It is important to shelf life, safety and organoleptic for sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed cream is the sugar content (sucrose) which is expressed in percentage of SWR (sucrose water ratio). The ideal SWR value is 62.5 - 64%. If the SWR values below 62.5% then the products sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed cream will be susceptible to microbiological damage during storage, because of the sucrose content insufficient to establish the osmotic pressure of 140 atmospheres in a product that can inhibit bacterial growth. Conversely, if the SWR above 64% it will be prone to crystallization of sugar that makes the texture of sweetened condensed milk is to be rude.

Microbiology Quality Parameters

Microbiological parameters related to microbial content related to food safety are no different from other food products such as coliform, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus. Besides mold and yeast content is also important to control. If the content of mold / yeast exceed the maximum allowable specification or if the sugar is used containing reducing sugars (single sugars), then it will happen during fermentation which causes the formation of gas storage (bulging cans). Besides reducing sugar also causes the occurrence of Maillard reaction so that the color of sweetened condensed milk into darker (brown).

Organoleptic Parameters

Organoleptic parameters of what is important is sandiness (coarse texture such as sand). Sandiness occurs when the seeding lactose is not perfect caused by the amount of lactose is not correct, lactose granules are too large or inappropriate seeding temperature, could also be because the SWR is too high (exceeding 64%) so that the sugar crystallizes.

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