Effect of Selected Process Variables on Ice Cream Made by Flash Freezing
This study investigated the impact of flash freezing using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) on ice cream quality. The study analyzed the effects of the temperature (15-30°C) of the ice cream mix (ICM) and blast time (1.5-2.5 sec) of SC-CO2 on the overrun, melting behavior, draw temperature, and quantity of ice cream produced. Results showed that increasing the temperature of the ICM reduced its viscosity, leading to a greater quantity of the product. The blast time of SC-CO2 had an inverse relationship with the product temperature and increased overrun while decreasing melt rate. Flash frozen ice cream samples showed an overrun ranging from 7.4-18.5% and a melt rate from 0.1-0.8g/min, compared to 16.4% and 0.2 g/min for commercial premium ice cream. Flash freezing can eliminate the need for transportation, distribution, and frozen storage, ensuring energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint. This work can also lead to the development of novel clean-label frozen dairy-based desserts.