Got this ice cream in the middle of the Swiss alps, I was told it is artisanal and made by the owner ’s sister (Lucerne area)
Ingredients
MILCH, Zucker, RAHM, Dunkle Schokolade, Kakaopuiver, Dextrose, Pflanzenfett, Maltodextrine, Emulsatoren: E472a, E427b, E471, E473,
Verdickungsmittel: E410, E466, E412, E401,
Magermilchpulver, Aromen
Nothing illegal, but this is not artisanal ice cream for me: probably mixing powder and milk and pressing a button
Let ’s analyse the content
E numbers for sweeteners
Table 4. Sweeteners (E400s and E900s)
| Ref | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| E427 | Cassia gum | Emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener, and gelling agent |
| E472a | Acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids | Emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents |
| E471 | Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids | Normal products of fat digestion but are prepared synthetically |
| E473 | Sucrose esters of fatty acids | Emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents |
E numbers for emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents
Table 5. Emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents (mainly E400s)
| Ref | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| E410 | Locust bean gum; carob gum | Natural extract from the Carob tree seedSimilar to E407 |
| E466 | Carboxymethyl cellulose | Derived from cellulose with similar properties |
| E412 | Guar gum (cluster bean gum) | Naturally occurring seed gum from a tree of the pea familyUsed as a thickener and stabiliser |
| E401 | Sodium alginate | Salt of alginic acid with similar functions (see E400) |
Why so many emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, and gelling agents?
To put it more simply, the main benefits of emulsifiers in ice cream are:
- Improved fat emulsification in the mix
- Controlled fat agglomeration and coalescence
- Facilitated air incorporation: up to 50&, the more the better profit and volume.
- Improved dryness on extrusion
- Improved melting resistance
- Improved heat-shock stability
- Improved smoothness and creaminess
What it really is?
This has way too much ingredients, this is a kind of ice cream powder + milk or even WATER! cool down in a ice machine to get the desired consistency.
Good ice cream
An example of artisanal ice cream while still at small industrial scale: for example I love the Erhard Ice cream https://www.erhard-desserts.com/boutique/chocolat
INGRÉDIENTS Farm-fresh pasteurized whole MILK 54%, fresh pasteurized CREAM 15%, sugar, chocolate 10% (cocoa mass, sugar, low-fat cocoa powder), cocoa powder, skimmed MILK powder, EGG yolk from free-range hens, flax fiber. May contain traces of shelled fruits, soy, peanuts and sesame.
