21st Century Ice Creams

Considering that the average American consumed about 5 gal. of ice cream in 2001 -- only second in the world to the average consumption of a New Zealander at almost 7 gal. -- it's easy to see that Americans are serious about their ice cream, (IDFA "Dairy Facts" 2003).

Like many other food categories of today, the ice-cream varieties available to consumers seem almost endless. Yet even with the mega choices available, vanilla continues to hold its No. 1 position as the top-selling flavor, with chocolate and Neapolitan holding a distant second and third place, respectively.

Manufacturers continue to attract more consumers to ice cream with new flavors and concepts. Names like "Gummy Goodie Candy," "Java Coconut Caramel" or "Crema de Fruta" instantly trigger a mouth-watering response for many different demographic groups. With the creativity and ingredient technology available in colors, flavors, inclusions, variegates and nutritional modification, product developers have even more tools to develop successful products, and consumers will find even more reasons to eat ice cream.

Though obesity issues are in the faces of consumers every day, their favorite ice-cream categories include very indulgent flavors. "Decadent, indulgent dessert flavors are hot," says Paulette Kerner, director, marketing communications, Virginia Dare, Brooklyn, NY.

Many dessert favorites, like apple crisp, cheesecake or tiramisu, can be enjoyed as an ice-cream flavor. "We have developed some new baked ingredients for super-premium types of flavors and comfort-oriented flavors," says Beth Blake, marketing manager, Guernsey Bel, a Kerry Company, Chicago. "Some companies make a strawberry-cheesecake ice cream by giving the ice cream a cheesecake flavor, and then adding a strawberry sauce and cookie pieces to simulate the crust," she adds. Some companies choose to add dessert inclusions, which is a unique way to make a dessert flavor. "We make an authentic cheesecake that is cut into small pieces that are added to the ice cream."

The concept of adding dessert pieces sounds easy, but in practice, is not. "We start by taking a look at what makes up the recipe for a particular high-end dessert and then try to translate all of the texture and flavor properties of that dessert into a baked inclusion for an ice cream," says Blake.

"When you develop these ingredients, you need to remember that they are not eaten at room temperature, so you work on the melting point of the piece to make it soft and chewy with a good flavor release," says Kim Premo, director of applications and technology, Guernsey Bel. Oftentimes, the dessert pieces match the authenticity of the "real thing."

"We have created a tiramisu-cake piece that has mascarpone cheese infused with espresso-rum flavors in between layers of sponge cake," adds Premo. "It delivers the flavors and the textures in ice cream that the dessert does at room temperature."

Some concepts can get even more upscale. "Many of our indulgent concepts come from high-end desserts, like flourless chocolate cake," says Blake. "This particular concept was shown at the Worldwide Food Expo as a vanilla ice cream with pieces of flourless chocolate cake and a creamy ganache-type of a variegate."

However, adults aren't the only ones who find exciting flavors to tempt their palates. "There is evidence of fun and fanciful products in the frozen-dessert case in both hard-pack and novelties," says Kerner.

"Some fun kids' concepts include birthday-cake ice cream using baked pieces of cake, with chunks of multicolored frosting providing a strong visual appeal, or a blue-ribbon chocolate layered cake, with chocolate-cake pieces and a variegate with a chocolate-frosting texture and flavor," adds Blake.

Other hot-selling inclusions use extruded brownie and cake batter, cookie dough, and other doughs, but they don't deliver the same authenticity as the dessert pieces. Candy pieces, pralines, chocolate-panned items, variegates, textured flavor bits, chocolate flakes and chocolate coatings complete the list of inclusion possibilities. Adding chocolate always wins approval. "We can do a layer of chocolate with a layer of colored and flavored white-chocolaty candy that adds a wonderful dimension to ice cream," adds Mark Freeman, vice president of sales, Wilbur Chocolate and Gerkens Cocoa, Lititz, PA.

After reviewing the available inclusions, new concepts and flavors still need to be considered. "Our customers continuously look to us to identify new, emerging flavor trends," says Paul Graffigna, vice president of marketing, Virginia Dare. "Annually, we develop a new selection of frozen-dessert flavor concepts, utilizing our flavors in conjunction with a host of inclusions and variegates from other sources."

"Crème de Noisette and Café, Spicy Walnut Raspberry Streusel, and Marshmallow Crispie Treat are just a few of the concepts we have developed recently," says Kerner. This technology relies on some basic flavors and their variants.  

"In addition to a broad selection of basic extracts of vanilla, coffee and cocoa, we offer an extensive range of fruit, sweet and brown-type flavors," adds Graffigna. "We also specialize in masking flavors for a host of applications." Some applications that use masking flavors are soy-based frozen desserts and artificially sweetened ice creams, like no-sugar-added or low-carb products.

The ice-cream manufacturer does not have to bear the burden of testing all of the flavors in their base. "We have a great deal of applications capability that we can bring to bear on optimizing the flavor of a customer's base," notes Graffigna.

Many attributes of the base will affect the addition of flavors. Fat tends to be a good carrier for flavors, and thus a good flavor enhancer. Protein and carbohydrates, however, tend to absorb flavors. If a flavorist knows the composition of the ice-cream base and the ingredients used in the base, they can select the right balance of flavors to optimize the flavor profile the customer desires in the finished product.

Development of ice-cream bases has come a long way, which makes flavoring them an easier task. The quality and functionality of many food ingredients has greatly improved in recent years. "Many of the bases that we now are given to work with are light-years beyond what they were not so long ago," Graffigna adds.

Dessert concepts and flavors can have many origins. Today's ice cream flavors are more influenced by ethnicity than ever before.

Hispanic flavors are a top interest for ice-cream manufacturers, who are still waiting for the next "dulce de leche" idea to surface. Consumers easily accepted dulce de leche because it has a caramel-flavor profile similar to what Americans were accustomed to in other caramel-type ice cream flavors, like butter pecan, turtle sundae or praline pecan.

Other Hispanic concepts also may take hold in American ice creams. "Cinnamon-vanilla and cinnamon-chocolate are popular combinations in the Hispanic market as well," says Jennifer Lindsey, product manager, functional systems, Danisco USA, Inc., New Century, KS. Flavors such as cinnamon-almond horchata, warm cinnamon and clean, sweet rice flavors reminiscent of rice pudding are warm comfort flavors with Hispanic influences. "Mango, papaya, pineapple, banana flavors and fruit flavors in general are popular for the Hispanic market."

There are ways to deliver these so they also appeal to the typical American palate. "Exotic flavor concepts are generally much more acceptable to manufacturers and to consumers if they are coupled with a more familiar domestic flavor," says Graffigna. Mango-peach would be a good example of a recent flavor combination.

However, Hispanics are not the only ethnic group to consider. "If you take a look at the 2000 census data, the Asian market will start to influence the flavor profiles of products more in the future," notes Lindsey. Chai tea flavors have been hot, and vanilla and spice combinations are more common because of the Asian influence. Other tea flavors, such as green tea, are popping up, too. A more unique Asian flavor concept might be lemon grass ice cream with a white-chocolate chunk.

Those looking for more than exotic flavors to expand an ice-cream line can always look to nutritional-food trends for ideas.

"The industry must recognize that obesity is a growing concern and get healthier products to market," says Freeman. "The growing waistlines (of U.S. consumers) are more evident and we have to be aware that sweet and fatty products will be under attack."

Ice-cream manufacturers are interested in keeping up with current diet trends. If you ask a supplier of ingredients for ice cream what their hottest application is, they will tell you "low carb." Fortunately, for ice cream, the technology behind developing a low-carb product has some history to build on. About 15 years ago, during the low-fat craze, many of the fiber-based bulking agents used to mimic fat can now reduce carbohydrate content. In the last decade that the no-sugar-added ice creams have been around, sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners have joined the carbohydrate replacer list. "No-sugar-added has improved in the last 10 years because the technology of the ingredients has improved," says Premo. What started out as only a short list of fibers, sugar alcohols, and sweeteners has now expanded into a full menu of ingredients to meet the functional and economic needs of a low-carb or no-sugar-added ice cream.

Before an ice-cream manufacturer starts to consider selecting ingredients, the standard of identity (SOI) needs to be considered. FDA has defined the SOI for ice cream in the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR, Pt. 135, Sec. 110), which states that ice cream contains not less than 1.6 lbs. of total solids to the gallon and weighs not less than 4.5 lbs. to the gallon; and ice cream contains not less than 10% milkfat, nor less than 10% nonfat milk solids, except when it contains milkfat at 1% increments above the 10% minimum.

"The ice-cream standard of identity needs to be maintained, which limits some creativity and the ability to utilize whey-derived ingredients," says John Fields, applications manager, frozen desserts, Degussa Texturant Systems, Atlanta. "These restrictions are part of the rationale for the proposed changes that the International Ice Cream Association has presented to the FDA."

Currently, the standard reads: "Any whey and modified whey products used contribute, singly or in combination, not more than 25% by weight of the total nonfat milk solids content of the finished food."

What does the definition mean for formulating a low-carb ice cream? "To meet the standard of identity for ice cream in a low-carb product, you must meet the standard for a 'no-sugar-added' ice cream," says Linda Dunning, technical manager frozen desserts, Danisco USA, Inc. "The standard also requires that you meet the milk solids and fat requirements for ice cream. Some of our formulations use whey protein concentrate to reach the needed balance of MSNF (milk solids, nonfat) and fat but minimize the level of lactose in the finished product."

If "ice cream" on the label is not a priority, the alternative is a "frozen dessert" label indication. "For some consumers who read labels, their perception of 'frozen dessert' on the label gives it the connotation that it is less indulgent than ice cream," says Blake.

One major gray area in the low-carb world is the whole concept of "net carbs." According to Premo, "The Atkins approach calculates the carbohydrate content by subtracting the sugar alcohols and dietary fiber to come up with net carbs." So far, FDA has not responded to the labeling of net carbs. In general, definitions for low-carb calculation of carbohydrates and analytical measurement of fibers and sugar alcohols need to be better established by FDA.

Once ice-cream manufacturers revisit the standards and label requirements, how do they begin to sort through the new ingredients available to help them achieve the desired net carbohydrates? Fortunately, there are a number of skilled suppliers they can turn to for support. "As a technically oriented supplier, we provide our customers the unique combination of proteins, stabilizers and bulking agents they need to assist them and limit the amount of time they spend on research and development," says Bill Schmitz, president, Main Street Ingredients, La Crosse, WI.

"The actual stabilization doesn't change that much on a low-carb formula but finding the right balance between the sugar alcohols and fiber is probably the core knowledge in developing a low-carb frozen dessert," says Phil Rakes, technical director, Main Street Ingredients. The carbohydrates in ice cream play many different roles, so reducing them also creates a lack of specific functionalities.

"When you are removing sugars, you have to balance the ice-cream-mix freezing point," says Fields. "You don't want to create any problems in the replacement of sugars that would promote a texture that was too hard or too soft."

The need to bind the extra water or how to deal with less water available leads to the selection of the stabilizers and emulsifiers. When you consider freezing-point depression, you will need to add sugar alcohols to promote mix characteristics that will allow it to go through the mechanical continuous freezers, packaging, storage and distribution with reasonable storage stability. Working with high-intensity sweeteners helps maintain the sweetness profile expectations along with the sugar alcohols. The third part is what you do to make up the bulk solids when you have removed 15% to 18% of sugar solids. Without adding a bulking agent (i.e., a fiber of some sort) in addition to a sugar alcohol, the ice cream will have a crumbly texture, weaker body and faster melt. The stabilizer/emulsifier blend provides balance to the formula.

"The stabilizer affects heat-shock stability, viscosity, emulsion stability, and texture or chewiness," says Rakes. Stabilizer becomes important when you are going to use a lot of protein. "If you have to be super high in protein, then viscosity becomes an issue," he adds. The higher the protein content is, the greater the viscosity. The details can get even more specific. "If you are going to use a soluble fiber, like polydextrose or inulin, that doesn't generate a lot of water-binding or viscosity, then you're probably not going to bulk the protein up to extreme levels in order to keep the price down and make it easier to pump around. Hence, one can add more fat and some sugar alcohols."

In low-carb applications, "one can go a little higher in stabilizer, with a typical combination being guar gum; xanthan gum with emulsifiers, like mono- and diglycerides; and sometimes polysorbate 80," adds Rakes. Determining the target level of net carbs will make a difference in selecting the right balance of ingredients.

Most low-carb ice creams contain 3 to 4 grams of net carbs per serving, and soft serve contains 4 to 5 grams of net carbs per serving. Ice cream that achieves 7 or 8 grams versus 2 or 3 grams of carbs is much more attainable from a development and cost standpoint.

Some companies choose to view low-carb ice creams as low-glycemic. "We have developed CarbMix as a line of blends targeted toward low-glycemic ice creams that contain lactitol or sorbitol combined with polydextrose, a sweetener, and a stabilizer/ emulsifier system," says Dunning.

A number of sugar alcohols are available for use in no-sugar-added or low-carb ice creams. However, their effect on freezing-point depression can be drastically different. "For instance, sorbitol can be used at a much lower level than lactitol to have the same effect on freezing-point depression," says Dunning. A certain level of solids is needed, which requires filling it up with other ingredients, such as polydextrose. Lactitol gives a clean flavor, so you don't have to use as much polydextrose. "Developing a palatable and scoopable no-sugar-added, low-carb ice cream requires a balance of sugar alcohol for solids and freezing-point depression, and polydextrose for building up solids and improving the mouthfeel."

In the case of low-carb products, the polydextrose also serves as fiber and helps to reduce the total net carbs. Polydextrose is 90% dietary fiber, so 90% could be subtracted from the total carbohydrates.

All of this information is applicable to low-carb, standard-fat products, but some want low-carb, low-fat products. To call a product "ice cream," manufacturers will have to keep the fat level above the minimum requirement to meet the standard.

"We have had a lot of interest in low-carb soft-serve and low-fat/low-carb ice cream," says Dunning. "Previously, in low-fat ice creams we have increased the milk solids to make up for the fat reduction, however, in low-carb products this cannot be done due to the added lactose. In the lower-fat or no-fat products, microcrystalline-cellulose- based stabilizer/emulsifier systems are often used in combination with polydextrose and sugar alcohols."

If low-carbohydrate/low-fat is not extreme enough, Dr. Robert Bradley, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Food Science Department, is in the process of developing a "no-carb" ice cream with funding provided by Rosemont, IL-based Dairy Management, Inc.(TM) Dr. Bradley is using ultrafiltration and diafiltration technology to reduce the lactose in the milk by more than 75% to the desired level. Many of the low-carb ice creams on the market utilize ultrafiltered milk as the primary ingredient versus regular milk that is used in standard ice cream.

Advanced technology in membrane processes has provided some added benefits to ice cream. Technologically speaking, sugar alcohols and fibers have solved a lot of problems, but their added consumption has also created some physiological problems. "There needs to be an education of the consumer on their intake of low-carb, low-glycemic products because of the laxative effect with intake of more than the recommended serving size," says Lindsey.

Knowing that a typical consumer will likely eat more than the recommended serving size because they are eating a "healthy" ice cream, some suppliers have thought about some alternatives. "For low-carb applications we rely on sugar alcohols and fiber but there is some concern about the laxative effect of sugar alcohols, so we have considered opportunities for protein ingredients and other fibers, like polydextrose and inulin," says Premo.

If this is too much information or there is not enough time to put it all together, more help is available. "Often manufacturers don't have the R&D resources, so we can develop the base mix for them from which they can add flavor, color and inclusions to as they like," says Rakes.

How to handle the flavoring issue is the next challenge for low carb. "Proteins and carbohydrates tend to absorb flavors, whereas fat carries flavors and disperses it throughout the whole system, so you will have to overdose the flavor in a low-carb ice cream as compared to a typical ice cream," says Lindsey.

"Many of our flavors translate very well to low-carb applications, it is often a question of use-rate adjustment," says Graffigna.

"Because low carb generally means higher protein, and since proteins in higher amounts tend to bind flavors, flavoring a low-carb ice cream with vanilla generally means using a higher level than in normal ice cream," says Rakes. "There are many instances where we have encountered little or no detectable vanilla flavor after as little as a week of hard-pack product storage, using the typical usage level of a standard 2x vanilla."  

An alternative to putting all the flavor into the base to achieve the desired impact is incorporating additional flavor into an inclusion or a variegate. Traditional variegates are water-based but in the last several years they have become primarily vegetable-oil based, which works well for low carb.

Because of the variety of nonnutritive sweeteners available, a supplier or manufacturer can select a sweetener based on the desired sweetness profile. Of the approved ingredients, sucralose has a sweetness profile closest to sugar. Sometimes the combination of nonnutritive sweeteners, sugar alcohols and fibers requires unique flavor technology to provide a sweetness profile more like typical ice cream. "For many years, we had done extensive work in overcoming off-flavors in pharmaceutical formulations," says Graffigna. "When interest grew in the functional/fortified, health and wellness category, we were uniquely qualified to address those flavoring challenges with proven masking systems," adds Graffigna.

Another tie-in to health and wellness translates into more requests for organic ice cream, which requires all-natural, non-GMO flavors and stabilizing systems. "If all-natural is desired, you would stay away from some of the cellulose derivatives, polysorbates and even mono- and diglycerides and instead rely on lecithin or egg yolk for emulsification," says Fields.

More low-carb products, like low-carb soy-based frozen desserts, will be available soon with their own inherent advantages and disadvantages for the consumer. For example, if you use a soy ingredient with a fair amount of raffinose or stachyose, it will reduce the need for the addition of other fibers. However, the consumer may have more issues with gas combined with the diarrhea effect from any polyols.

The real question on everyone's minds is the fad versus trend aspect of the low-carb diets. There is some consensus of opinion in the industry leaning toward trend. "People have lost weight on the Atkins and South Beach diets and the American public knows that regulating your carbohydrate intake will show results, which means that low-carb products will stay around," says Lindsey.

If you have satisfied your customers' dieting needs, but still want to add some nutrition to an ice cream, there is always fortification. The educated consumer is really the one creating the niche nutritional markets, like fortified ice creams. "Fortified products will gain popularity because the consumer wants to feel good about the products that they like," adds Lindsey.

Calcium fortification is one of the most popular ways to add nutrition. The article "Pumped-Up Dairy" in the October 2003 issue of Food Product Design discussed calcium fortification of dairy foods, including ice cream. Typical fortification levels are up to 30% of the recommended daily intake (RDI), a level that typically creates no mouthfeel issues. Stabilizer companies often add calcium and even protein fortification to their blends at the fortification levels specified by the customer. Though there are many sources of calcium to choose from for every level of economics, there are some preferred sources. Calcium lactate and calcium gluconate are absorbed more readily than calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate but most people just go after the calcium claim rather than an absorption rate," says Lindsey.

Nutritional modifications have spread into more categories because low-carb novelties also are gaining popularity. The technology of ice cream is already there so it is a matter of adding coatings and/or inclusions to complete the package.

Chocolate appeals to all age groups. "As a chocolate manufacturer, we have seen the effects of dieting both on the negative demand for sugar-based chocolate and the increased interest in sugar-free chocolate," says Freeman. Suppliers work closely with product developers and marketing managers to develop custom ice-cream coatings.

Some suppliers were perfectly positioned to meet the demands of low-carb products. "We have a 25-year history in creating wonderful sugar-free chocolate and with the latest low-carb craze we have benefited by introducing a line of sugar-free coatings using erythritol," says Freeman. The next generation of sugar-free chocolates will benefit from erythritol's good digestive tolerance. Erythritol is also a good bulking agent, but it has a cooling effect in the mouth. The cooling effect is appealing in mints but not necessarily in chocolate. "We worked together with our company experts to blend erythritol with inulin, which has a warming effect, to create an outstanding chocolate flavor without sugar."  

But, erythritol and inulin are not the only possibilities. "We are creating no-sugar-added ice-cream coatings and inclusions which can be fortified with protein, folic acid or almost any fortification," continues Freeman. "Our most successful chocolate products contain inulin, which is a prebiotic fiber that also enhances calcium absorption."

Inclusion suppliers can help ice-cream makers create functional ice cream by delivering much of what they need in the inclusions. "For example, if someone wanted a women's-health ice cream, we could deliver folic acid and inulin in a chocolate chip and the ice-cream maker may choose to do little to the base," says Freeman.

"We think novelties are an awesome delivery system for nutritional products since they are convenient and serving sizes are determined by the manufacturer," continues Freeman. The market may be growing for single-serve ice-cream cups for the same reason. If people can indulge and get health benefits at the same time, there are some real opportunities for ice-cream makers to target key customer groups. He adds that if ice cream can deliver part of what the stewed tomatoes are supposed to deliver, everyone would be a lot happier. "For example, school lunch programs are desperate to spread their nutritional load over a wider part of the meal," he continues.

Another exciting ingredient is lutein for eye health. "Why not create an ice cream for senior-living centers with lutein fortification, which could be added to chocolate very easily," adds Freeman.

Whether good-for you, or just plain good-tasting, these ideas show the never-ending creativity and marketing opportunities for new products to fill the ice cream case.

Kimberlee J. Burrington is the whey applications program coordinator for the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research in Madison. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Food Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her industry background is in bakery and dairy.

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