What is the best source of fat for ice cream?

There are several fat options available on the market, each of which provides different characteristics to the final product.
In this post, we will give you an overview of the ideal fat for your ice cream.

Function of fat in ice cream

There is no doubt that foods with higher fat content are consumed more by the population.
And ice cream is no different.

The fat in ice cream has several functions, such as providing creaminess, softness, flavor, palatability, reducing the sensation of cold, increasing resistance to melting, favoring the incorporation of air into the ice cream, among many other equally important functions.
In general, the best texture characteristics are achieved with fat contents between 6 and 10% of the total recipe.

The choice of the ideal fat for your formulation, therefore, depends on which characteristics you consider most important in the final product.
Below, we highlight the main technological differences between the fat sources that can be used in ice cream.

Hydrogenated vegetable fat

The cheapest fat source available on the market, it is also the one that guarantees the greatest resistance to ice cream melting.
It adds great capacity to the final product for incorporating and retaining air.

However, all hydrogenated vegetable fat is trans fat, which is currently known for being harmful to health and being associated with a series of cardiovascular diseases.
Therefore, if you wish to use this type of fat, you must specify the ingredients of your product, and it is up to the customer to decide whether or not to consume it.

Palm vegetable fat

It is a vegetable fat that is slightly more expensive than hydrogenated vegetable fat, but it has the advantage of not containing trans fats. It adds good resistance to melting to the ice cream, and its melting point is slightly below body temperature, meaning the ice cream will melt as soon as it comes into contact with the mouth.
Its flavor and air incorporation characteristics are similar to hydrogenated vegetable fat.

Milk cream

Like all animal fats, it provides the best flavor characteristics in the final product. When using cream, creamy ice creams with a finer texture are obtained.
The air incorporation rate, however, is not very high.

Butter

Also of animal origin, it has a large amount of saturated fatty acids.
Some research indicates that the higher the content of unsaturated fatty acids, the lower the quality of the ice cream and the lower the rate of air incorporation.
Therefore, butter is an excellent source of fat for ice cream, adding flavor and texture, contributing to the incorporation of air and the quality of the product in general.
However, because it is an expensive raw material, it is most often used in premium ice creams.


Now that you know the ideal fat for your ice cream, how about finding out which machine is ideal?