Flow behavior characteristics of ice cream mix made with buffalo milk and various stabilizers

Ice cream made with buffalo milk, using optimum levels of various stabilize rs of plant origin, was evaluated for its flow behavior characteristics, wi th the objective of producing an acceptable quality product. The minimum va riation in the viscosity of mix was observed at three rates of shear (348.8 8, 523.33 and 1046.66 S-1) for all ice cream mixes. The flow behavior index (n) of all the mixes having optimum levels of various stabilizers was obse rved to be less than 1; indicating their pseudoplastic nature. Consistency coefficient (m) of sodium alginate was found to be 1.19; highest among all the stabilizers, followed by gelatin (1.17), karaya (1.08), guar gum (0.75) , acacia gum (0.70), ghatti gum (0.36), and the control (0.29). The consist ency coefficient (m) signifies the apparent viscosity of the pseudoplastic fluid. The viscosity of the mixes having various stabilizers (optimum level s) was found to be in descending order: Sodium alginate, gelatin, karaya, g uar gum, acacia, ghatti and control.