When summer comes, ice cream is one of the popular frozen desserts amongst different generations. The creamy and waxy mouthfeel makes this treat worth a long queue to get one. Ice cream varies widely from territories to countries with its own law regulations and definitions, hence, the composition of manufacture may also be different. Here in the UK, ice cream consumption per capital is amongst the upper middle in world ranking(8.4 Litre) in 2010, given that the climate, national average income, etc. are taken into account (H. Goff 2013). Ice cream in the UK is defined as a frozen dessert comprised of at least 5% fat rate and 2.5% milk protein, and there's no other specific requirements (H. Goff 2013). Whilst in the Italy, fat rate is regulated as at least 8% with same milk protein rate (2.5%) as is UK (H. Goff 2013). In such varying degree of differrence, it gives manufacturers an opportunity to make products in proportion to ingredients and draw a range of product quality:
A. Compositional differences
As we can see ice cream with higher fat in generally are traditionally classified as superior in quality, with creamier texture and full body. However, as regultaions and definitions of ice cream in Europe were firstly published in 1996 ad revised in 2006 to allow much more liberal compositional standards that enabled a wider range of product options to be offered to consumers, quite a lot of manufacturers nowdays seems not to completely follow the traditional standard as much as the manufacturer from old generation, instead they now have created numerous novelties, such as frozen yogurt, 0% fat ice cream, whose compositions have been relatively flexible and do not define quality on this basis anymore.
B. Different nature of ice cream products
1. Traditional American Ice Cream
This type of ice cream is normally made with economical fat solid like butter and condensed milk. Cost is cheap, with extra addition of stabiliser and emulsifer to prolong the shelf life in general. A very classic trait of this type of ice cream is crispy junks(brownies), cakes(red velvet), bakings (biscoff biscuit), as well as some artificial fruity ripple are stuffed inside to promote bulk flavour. In general, american ice cream is made in big amount with very high overrun (80-120%), meaning that the way they process raw materials from choosing to manufactuing are more likely of industrial approach - quantity outweighs quality, which is the oppsoite of artisan approach whose product is made in small batches and with only high quality and fresh ingredients.
2. Gelato
This type of ice cream has been a boom and a new trend in the last 2 decades since people's awareness of health has been increased and gelato, which is the italian ice cream, that promotes their products with slower air fold (25-60%)to make a denser texture as well as lower fat rate (6-9%) to deliver a healthy idea. Gelato is stickier and is presented with no specific shape like american ice cream, that normally are served with a ball shape in a cone or cup.
3. Soft serve
The preparation process of soft serve ice cream is similar to other types of ice cream, the key difference is the composition and overrun (air cooperation) that the total solid of soft serve and overrun is lesser than ice cream that is stored in blast freezer for further hardening. Soft serve ice cream are common in mobilised ice cream cars that is favourite amongst children.
4. Sorbet & Sherbet
Sorbet and sherbet are a frozen dessert charaterised by not carrying or just a very few portion of milk ingredients (0.3- 1 % ) in the product. Without the aid of egg yolks and fat from either dairy or nondairy products, these products needs extra portions (32-35%) (H, Goff 2013) of sweetners to emulsify and stablise the structure or the texture will end up being very coarse as the absence of fat and milk solid, the whipping property is hence weaker than conventional ice cream. Sorbet and sherbet are well said to be fat-free but it does not necessarily mean they are healthier as extra sweetners carry lots of calories.
5. Turkish Ice Cream
Turkish ice cream is distinguished by a much more elastic texture than regular ice cream. From the salep, a flour made from an orchid root, and mastic, a resin that imparts chewiness (H, Goff 2013). Turkish ice cream is presented in a very funny way that the server will demonstrate some tricks before serving.
Summary
Ice cream definition varies from territoies to countries, with its own difinition and law regulations. Some are strict, whilst some are not. In the UK, ice cream is characterised as a frozen dessert made including 2.5% milk protein rate and 5% fat rate with no other specific requirements. Nowadays, the trend has been more open to product composition due to the market demand for novelties, and with the varying definition of ice cream, there is no absolute standard anymore to say whether the frozen dessert is classified as ice cream in terms of ingredients and its portion. Besides, there are different types of ice cream products in the market. Each of them have their unique traits to attract their targeted customers who have different considerations such as quality, health issue, cost and convenience
Reference:
1. H. Goff, R. Hartel, 2013, Ice Cream Seventh Edition, Overview of Ice Cream Composition and Manufacture P.15
2. H. Goff, R. Hartel, 2013, Ice Cream Seventh Edition, Description of Commercial Frozen Desserts P.23, P.28
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