Evaporated milk was patented in 1884 by John B. Meyenberg of Saint Louis, Missouri. In 1884 refrigerators had not been invented, so milk spoiled easily. Meyenberg’s process removed about 60 percent of the water in milk. The remainder was homogenized, canned, and sterilized. The evaporated milk, which occupied far less space than fresh milk, could remain in cans for over a year. People could open the can, pour the evaporated milk into a big container, and add water to reconstitute it. Today most people use evaporated milk in desserts. Children can view the patent application at: Evaporated Milk Patent.
Nov 252024