Effects of fat content on the sensory properties, melting, color, and hardness of ice cream

Ice creams were prepared that varied only in the percentage of milk fat (0. 1, 3, 7, or 10%) and the corresponding total solids. All mixes were formula ted to have similar freezing points and percentages of water frozen. Quanti tative descriptive analysis was used to develop a ballot, which was then us ed by a trained sensory panel to assess the appearance, flavor, and texture of the vanilla ice creams. The color, hardness, and melting characteristic s of the ice creams were also measured. Melting time and sample hardness we re not significantly different among the 0.1, 3, and 7% fat samples of ice cream, but these characteristics of the lower fat ice creams differed from those of the 10% fat samples. The 10% fat samples took longer to melt and w ere softer than the 7% fat samples. The sensory analysis was more sensitive than the analytical measurement for detecting textural differences between ice cream samples. The panelists determined that removing the fat from ice cream made it more icy and more crumbly with fewer visible air holes. Swee tness was not influenced by fat content below 7%. The creamy flavor increas ed as the fat content of the ice creams increased. The milk powder flavor i ncreased as the fat content decreased, even though the sample with 0.1% fat had less milk powder than the sample with 10% fat. Milk powder flavor was the major flavor component that was distinguished by the panelists when the y evaluated the lower fat samples for aftertaste. Corn syrup was more perce ptible in the lower fat samples even though all samples had the same concen tration of corn syrup solids (4.5%).