How ice cream is made in dairy industry?
Today, ice cream is made from a blend of dairy products (cream, condensed milk, butterfat), sugar, flavourings, and federally approved additives. Eggs are added for some flavourings, particularly French vanilla. The broad guidelines allow producers to use ingredients ranging from sweet cream to nonfat dry milk, cane sugar to corn-syrup solids, fresh eggs to powdered eggs. Federal regulations do stipulate that each package of ice cream must contain at least 10% butterfat.
The additives, which act as emulsifiers and stabilizers, are used to prevent heat shock and the formation of ice crystals during the production process. The most common additives are guar gum, extracted from the guar bush, and carrageenan, derived from sea kelp or Irish moss.
Ice cream flavours have come a long way from the standard vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. By the 1970s, the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers had recorded over 400 different flavours of ice cream. In an ever-expanding array of combinations, fruit purees and extracts, cocoa powder, nuts, cookie pieces, and cookie dough are blended into the ice cream mixture.
Air is added to ice cream to improve its ability to absorb flavourings and to facilitate serving. Without air, ice cream becomes heavy and soggy. On the other hand, too much air results in ice cream that is snowy and dry. The federal government allows ice cream to contain as much as 100% of its volume in air, known in the industry as overrun.
Makers of high-quality ice cream (sometimes known as gourmet ice cream) use fresh whole dairy products, a low percentage of air (approximately 20%), between 16-20% butterfat, and as few additives as possible.
Commercial ice cream is made with six steps:
- Milk, cream, milk solids, sugars, modifying agents and flavourings are blended together in stainless steel vats.
- The mix is homogenised to create a consistent texture.
- The mix is pasteurised by heating at 82-85°C for 15 seconds then cooled to destroy bacteria.
- The mix is left alone for 2-24 hours so fat globules solidify and viscosity increases. Flavours or colourings are added.
- The mix is frozen (at about -7°C) and beaten (or ‘agitated’). This adds air to the mix.
- The ice cream is moulded, packaged and frozen at around -25°C to allow it to harden.
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