Ice cream is a frozen dairy product prepared by suitable blending and processing of cream and other dairy products together with sugar and flavour, with or without stabilizers or colour, and with the incorporation of air during the freezing process.

According to the PFA rules (1976), ice cream may be defined as a frozen product obtained from the cow or buffalo milk or a combination thereof or from cream and/or other milk products, with or without the addition of cane sugar, eggs, fruits, fruit juices, preserved fruits, nuts, chocolate, edible flavours and permitted food colours. It may contain permitted stabilizers and emulsifiers not exceeding 0.5 per cent by weight. The mixture must be suitably heated before freezing. It should contain not less than 10% milk fat, 3.5% protein, and 36% total solids.

Different varieties of ice creams are available in the market catering to the varied tastes of the consumers. They are plain, chocolate, fruit, nut, milk ices or milk lollies, fancy moulded, novelties and softy ice creams. An average quality of the frozen dessert should have 10% milk fat, 10-11% solids not fat, 13-15% sugar, 0.3-0.5% stabilizer and emulsifier and total solids content in the range of 35-37%. If it has to be a good quality product, it should have 12% milk fat, 11% solids not fat, 15% sugar, 0.30% stabilizer and emulsifier and total solids 39%.

Nutritive value of ice cream

The nutrient component of the ice cream depends on the type as well as the ingredients that are used in the manufacture of the product. On an average, the frozen dessert contains three times more fat and slightly more protein than that is present in milk. It is a rich source of calcium, phosphorous and other minerals important for bodybuilding.

It is also rich in lactose and good quality protein especially the amino acids tryptophane and lysine, which are generally lacking in other common foods. It is an excellent source of food energy because of rich fat content and sugar which will help in improving body weight. It is a good source of vitamin A, thiamine, niacin and vitamin E. Fruit ice creams are excellent source of vitamin C.

To know more about the manufacturing details, please follow the link ICE CREAM MANUFACTURE

The author is a dairy expert, specializing in the technology and microbiology of dairy foods and holds a doctoral degree in Dairy Science; for more info on milk and dairy products please visit her site, A Professional Dairy Site.

http://www.dairyforall.com/icecream.php

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