| The first step in the manufacture of ice cream | | | | Cooling and ageing of the ice cream mix |
| involves selection of ingredients. The items may be | | | | Ice cream mix is cooled to 0-5°C immediately |
| classified as dairy and non-dairy ingredients. The dairy | | | | after homogenization and it is held at this temperature |
| items include sweet cream, frozen cream, plastic | | | | for 3 to 4 hours in the ageing tanks. Ageing of the ice |
| cream, unsalted butter, butteroil, whole milk, whole milk | | | | cream mix is not required when sodium alginate is |
| powder, condensed whole milk and evaporated milk. | | | | used as a stabilizer. Ageing improves the body and |
| The non-dairy items include sugar (cane sugar, beet | | | | texture of the ice cream, increases melting resistance |
| sugar and corn sugar), stabilizers (gelatin or sodium | | | | and improves maximum over run. |
| alginate), emulsifiers (glycerol monostearate), flavours | | | | Freezing the mix |
| (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, banana | | | | After completing the ageing process, the ice cream |
| etc), colours (yellow, green, pink depending on the | | | | mix is subjected to freezing in a batch freezer or |
| flavours), egg solids, fruits and nuts (apple, banana, | | | | continuous ice cream freezer. Generally colours and |
| mango, grape, almond, pistachio, cashew, walnut etc.). | | | | flavours are added to the aged ice cream mix just |
| The second step is figuring the mix. Although | | | | before transferring the same in to the freezer or they |
| knowledge of calculation is required for manufacturing | | | | can be added directly in to the freezer. In the freezing |
| ice cream with quality that adheres to the legal | | | | chamber, the ice cream mix is quickly frozen while |
| standards, it is indeed easy to figure the mix by simple | | | | being continuously agitated to incorporate air in a |
| methods. For E.g. To make 1 litre ice cream mix that | | | | manner to produce and control the formation of large |
| meets the legal requirements, the following ingredients | | | | number of small ice crystals which will provide smooth |
| are required. | | | | body and texture, palatability and desired over run in |
| * Whole milk - 1 litre | | | | the finished end product. When the ice cream is frozen |
| * Skim Milk Powder - 70 g | | | | to the required consistency, it is transferred to the |
| * Butter - 100 g | | | | packages of desired sizes and immediately placed in |
| * Cane sugar - 220 g | | | | cold storage rooms. |
| * Gelatin - 8 g | | | | During the cold storage process, freezing and |
| * Glycerol Mono Stearate - 6 g | | | | hardening is completed. The temperature of hardening |
| * Vanilla concentrate - Q.S | | | | is around -20°C. The softy ice cream is usually |
| Making the mix | | | | drawn from the freezer at around -7°C. Nature of |
| Care should be exercised while selecting the dairy as | | | | freezing is very important in freezing process. It is |
| well as non dairy ingredients as they determine the | | | | always desirable to freeze the mix in a continuous |
| quality of the ultimate end product i.e. ice cream. Take | | | | freezer rather than in batch freezer as the former |
| the milk in a container and allow it to be heated. When | | | | accomplishes the task within a few seconds whereas |
| the temperature of milk is around 50°C, solid | | | | the latter does it in 5-10 min. |
| ingredients like skim milk powder, butter (cut in to small | | | | Overrun in ice cream |
| pieces) and sugar are added slowly so as to | | | | Overrun, expressed as percentage, is generally |
| completely incorporate them in the hot milk. Gelatin and | | | | defined as the volume of ice cream obtained in |
| glycerol monosterate (GMS) are preferably mixed | | | | excess of the volume of the ice cream mix. The |
| together and heated separately in minimum quantity of | | | | excess volume is composed mainly of the air |
| water till their dissolution and added in to the hot milk. | | | | incorporated during the freezing process. The over run |
| The pasteurization of ice cream mix involves heating it | | | | due to air provides proper body, texture and palatability |
| to 68.5°C for 30 min or 80°C for 25 sec. | | | | essential to a good quality product. Too much and too |
| Homogenization of ice cream mix is an essential step | | | | little quantity of air incorporation will affect the body, |
| in the manufacturing process. It is usually done at | | | | texture and palatability. The softy ice cream, ice cream |
| temperatures from 63-77°C in a two stage | | | | packaged in bulk and retail packed ice cream will have |
| homogenizer; the first stage operating at 2500 psi and | | | | over run of 30-50%, 90-100% and 70-80% |
| the second one at 500 psi. Homogenization helps in | | | | respectively. |
| reducing the size of the fat globules to 2 microns or | | | | Uses of ice cream |
| less. It helps in preventing the fat separation during | | | | Ice cream is liked by all age group of people and it is |
| ageing, imparts smoother texture to product, improves | | | | directly consumed as a frozen dessert. Ice cream can |
| whipping ability, reduces ageing period and reduces the | | | | also be used as a topping for fruit salads and fruit pies. |
| quantity of stabilizer required. | | | | |