Physical Characteristics of Frozen Desserts Made with Cream, Anhydrous Milk Fat, or Milk Fat Fractions

Vanilla ice creams (10% fat) were prepared with or without emulsifier and by substituting anhydrous milk fat, a low melting milk fat fraction, and a very high melting milk fat fraction for cream. Viscosity of the ice cream mixes was affected by the source of milk fat and the addition of emulsifier. Ice cream mixes that were made with a very high melting milk fat fraction had the highest solidified fat, and mixes made with a low melting milk fat fraction had the lowest solidified fat. Rates of solidification were faster in the presence of emulsifier. The amount of adsorbed protein at the surface of fat globules in ice cream mixes in the presence of emulsifier was higher than when no emulsifier was used. The use of the very high melting milk fat fraction led to decreased adsorption of protein. More fat was agglomerated in ice cream made with emulsifier than in ice cream without emulsifier. Hardness of the ice creams made with different milk fat sources were not significantly different. Ice cream made with emulsifier was significantly harder than ice cream made without emulsifier. Meltdown of the samples made with the very high melting fraction was slower than meltdown of ice creams made with other milk fat sources. The results suggested that frozen dessert could be made using low melting and very high melting milk fat fractions in place of cream and that the ice cream made with the very high melting fraction was especially practical for use in warm climates.