New Processing Technique Improves Ice Cream

EDE, The NetherlandsHigh-pressure (HP) processing has successfully been applied as a tool to improve the functionality of milk proteins in ice cream The findings may allow ice cream manufacturers to reduce the use of additives and make better low-fat products, according to a new study published in the International Dairy Journal.

Scientists from NIZO food research, University College Cork and the University of Guelph who discovered the mechanisms responsible for the changes said HP treatment could have several important benefits for ice cream manufacturers, including the improvement of reduced-fat in ice cream and the possibility of making products without the additives that are normally included to prevent ice crystallization. HP treatment may also allow ice cream manufacturers to cut raw material costs by reducing the protein content without compromising texture or mouthfeel. The benefits are a result of the increased viscosity and higher resistance to melting induced by the HP processing.

Transmission electron micrographs showed the presence of a network of micellar fragments, arising from HP-induced disruption, in the HP-treated mix and ice cream prepared there from. The network of micellar fragments is believed to be responsible for the increased viscosity and reduced melting, and is hypothesized to occur as a result of calcium-induced aggregation of caseins on decompression," they said.