Milk Solids

Milk solids are a defining component of milk and white chocolates and are permissible in American dark chocolate in quantities up to 12 percent, although they are seldom added to dark chocolate. (See Cacao Product Standards of Identity table.) Milk solids contribute a creamy, smooth flavor to milk and white chocolates. Several different forms of dry milk may be used in manufacturing, including spray-dried milk, roller-dried milk, and milk crumb. Each product has its own unique flavor profile and advantages. Manufacturers select a milk product based on the flavor profile they want a chocolate product to have. The milk solids added to some chocolates are treated with lipase, a fat-degrading enzyme, resulting in a sort of controlled rancidity of the fat in the dry milk. This is done to increase the buttery flavor of the milk solids in order to obtain the signature flavor profile the manufacturer seeks.