What is the purpose of preheating evaporated milk?

Preheating evaporated milk is primarily done to stabilize the proteins within the milk. This process helps to denature the proteins, which can prevent them from clumping together during evaporation and subsequent processing. By stabilizing the proteins, the texture and consistency of the final product are improved, ensuring a smooth and uniform product that meets quality standards. This step is crucial in maintaining the quality of milk products, as it helps prevent undesirable changes during storage and processing.

While enhancing flavor, increasing shelf life, and cooling down the milk are all relevant aspects of milk processing, they are not the main focus of the preheating process for evaporated milk. The primary goal is to ensure the protein stability, which is essential for achieving the desired characteristics in the finished product.