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Ice Cream and Frozen Dairy Desserts: Classification and History

1.1 History of Ice Cream Making

In the 13th century, Marco Polo brought formulations of several types of ice cream from Asia to Europe. Therefore, the history of ice cream dates back much further in Asia than in other parts of the world. The art of ice cream making was introduced to Italy by Marco Polo, and from there, it spread to France, Germany, and England, eventually reaching the Americans. The first ice cream-making machine was invented by Marshall in the 19th century (Figure 1.1). In the year 1851 AD, the first ice cream factory was established in the United States by Jacob Fussell, and this marked the transition of ice cream making from an artisanal practice to an industrial one, leading to rapid growth and development. However, around the 1920s, the nutritional value of ice cream gained widespread recognition, and after World War II, the ice cream industry experienced significant expansion.

In the early 20th century, ice cream production expanded and became industrialized due to key factors such as advancements in production techniques, transportation of ice cream, and the preservation of the cold chain. The proliferation of refrigeration machines led to the replacement of salt and ice with a concentrated salt solution (which freezes easily at subzero temperatures). This solution increased the heat transfer rate between the ice cream mixture and the refrigeration unit, thereby boosting production speed. In continuous freezers, which take the form of a horizontal cylinder, the mixture was pumped in from one side and the ice cream was dispensed from the other side, resulting in a more consistent and rapid production compared to discontinuous systems. Such advancements were accompanied by the introduction of pasteurization (which mitigated hygiene concerns) and homogenization (which broke down fat into small droplets, resulting in creamier and smoother products). Eventually, the expansion of railway and automobile networks facilitated better transportation of raw materials and distribution of products over longer distances. In Iran, the first ice cream shop located next to a railway track dates back to the reign of Mozaffar al-Din Shah.

Figure 1.1 The first ice cream-making machine was invented by Marshall in the 19th century.

1.2 Definition of Ice Cream

Ice cream is a frozen food product made from cow’s milk and can contain permissible edible ingredients such as sugar, dextrose, eggs, fruits, fruit juices, chocolate, nuts, flavorings, and food-grade colorings. Emulsifiers and stabilizers can also be used in its composition. The composition of ice cream varies from one region to another. Generally, a good ice cream contains around 12% fat, 11% nonfat milk solids, 15% sugar, 0.3% stabilizers and emulsifier mixture, and a total of 38% dry matter. Ice cream is a complex composition of three phases: the gas, solid, and liquid phases. The gas phase consists of air bubbles uniformly distributed in the frozen phase. The liquid phase contains frozen fat globules, milk proteins, insoluble salts, colloidal stabilizers, sugars, and soluble salts. Thus, the final product is a three-phase system consisting of liquid, solid, and gas (Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2 Schematic structure of ice cream; ice crystals, air bubbles, fat globules, and serum phase.

Ice cream is a highly delicious and nutritious food. Approximately, 100 grams of good-quality ice cream provides around 200 kilocalories of energy, along with 4 grams of protein, 0.13 grams of calcium, 0.105 grams of phosphorus, 0.1 gram of iron, 490 IU of vitamin A, 0.38 milligrams of thiamine, and 0.24 milligrams of riboflavin. The production and consumption levels of ice cream in some countries around the world are presented in Table 1.1.

1.3 Classification of Ice Cream

Various factors such as raw materials, consumer preferences, costs, and quality influence the formulation of different ice cream mixes. The percentage of stabilizers and emulsifiers required in different mixtures varies, and therefore the usage of these components should adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Ice cream can be classified based on brand name, ingredients, and flavoring agents used. Below, different types of ice cream and similar products are categorized using commercial methods. The formulation of regular ice cream is provided in Table 1.2.

Please note that the percentages provided here represent a hypothetical formulation for regular ice cream and are subject to variations based on specific recipes and manufacturing processes.

Table 1.1 Major ice cream-producing and consuming countries in the world.

Data represents a specific time period and may have changed since then.

Table 1.2 Formulation of regular ice creams.

1.3.1 Regular Ice Cream Types

Regular ice cream is a type of ice cream in which the total volume of flavoring and coloring ingredients is less than 5%. Examples of this type include vanilla ice cream, coffee ice cream, caramel ice cream, and orange ice cream. The following section provides explanations of various types of regular ice cream:

• Coffee Ice Cream:

  To make coffee ice cream,...