Sensory and microstructural properties of ice cream manufactured at a high draw temperature in a vertical barrel freezer at different dasher speeds

Microstructure, texture and selected sensory attributes of ice creams frozen at different dasher speeds (DS) were evaluated. Ice cream mix containing 10% fat and 35.3% total solids was pasteurized, homogenized, held for 24 h at 2°C and frozen using a continuous freezer (DS 230-343 rpm, overrun 60%, draw temperature -4°C). Ice cream stiffness, fat destabilization, and ice crystal size distributions were measured. In addition, descriptive sensory analysis of the fresh ice cream, after 3 months of storage at -30°C, and on heat shocked ice cream was conducted using a trained panel. The degree of stabilization of the emulsified fat and the stiffness of the ice cream did not change with increasing DS in fresh or in hardened ice cream. No practically significant differences were found between ice crystal distributions with ice creams made at different DS. Sensory studies showed no significant difference between the ice creams manufactured at different DS. Thus, ice cream could be made successfully over the range of DS studied.