I do not know if Carnation Milk is still prepared as it was in 1941 with respect to the ultra-violet (UV) light radiation. However, the basic process is probably still used. Carnation Condensed Milk is prepared by homogenizing to break up the butterfat particles and evaporating 50% of the contained water (they call it "cooking"). Vitamin D is added during this part of the process. The milk is (or at least for years it was) sealed in cans and then the canned milk is sterilized by passing through a steam heated chamber for a specified period of time at a specified temperature. The effect of UV light on certain organic chemical molecules has been known to chemists for years, and I am aware of recent research at a major U.S. chemical company in which UV light exposure was investigated as a means to break up an undesired impurity in an industrial chemical. UV light is emitted by the sun (that's what causes sunburn) and by artifical lighting. It is invisible to the naked eye. However, it is not a subatomic particle (i.e. not a particle from an atom) such as gamma, beta, etc. I am not familiar with the patent referenced and do not know the reason for the UV irradiation other than to surmise that one or more molecules in the milk would be changed to another chemical form much the same way heat can break down molecules. My knowledge on the Carnation Milk process is from working two summers in the condensary at Mt. Vernon while in college. Dale West

I asked for the time and you built me a watch. Thanks for a most enlightening explanation. Jane Frost "In the Heart of the Ozarks" ----- Original Message ----- From: <Dwestcw@aol.com> To: <MOLAWREN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 9:49 AM Subject: Re: [MOLAWREN-L] irridiated foods -- 1941 > I do not know if Carnation Milk is still prepared as it was in 1941 with > respect to the ultra-violet (UV) light radiation. However, the basic process > is probably still used. Carnation Condensed Milk is prepared by homogenizing > to break up the butterfat particles and evaporating 50% of the contained > water (they call it "cooking"). Vitamin D is added during this part of the > process. The milk is (or at least for years it was) sealed in cans and then > the canned milk is sterilized by passing through a steam heated chamber for > a specified period of time at a specified temperature. > > The effect of UV light on certain organic chemical molecules has been known > to chemists for years, and I am aware of recent research at a major U.S. > chemical company in which UV light exposure was investigated as a means to > break up an undesired impurity in an industrial chemical. UV light is > emitted by the sun (that's what causes sunburn) and by artifical lighting. > It is invisible to the naked eye. However, it is not a subatomic particle > (i.e. not a particle from an atom) such as gamma, beta, etc. I am not > familiar with the patent referenced and do not know the reason for the UV > irradiation other than to surmise that one or more molecules in the milk > would be changed to another chemical form much the same way heat can break > down molecules. > > My knowledge on the Carnation Milk process is from working two summers in the > condensary at Mt. Vernon while in college. > > Dale West > >