ICE CREAM AND OTHER FROZEN DAIRY PRODUCTS The delicious frozen dairy products of today evolved from the flavored ices popular with the Romans in the 4th century B.C. The hand-crank freezer, patented in 1846, led to the establishment of the first commercial ice cream plant in Baltimore in 1851. Frozen yogurt was introduced in the late 1960s, and has since enjoyed increased popularity. VARIETIES ■ Ice Cream is made by stirring, ■ Sherbet contains 1 to 2% while freezing, a pasteurized mix milk fat and 2 to 5% total milk of one or more dairy ingredients— solids. Water, flavoring (e.g., fruit, milk, concentrated fat-free chocolate, spices), sweetener and milk, cream, condensed milk— stabilizers are added. Sherbet has sweetening agents, flavorings, more sugar than ice cream. stabilizers, emulsifiers and ■ Frozen Yogurt is made by optional egg or egg yolk solids freezing a mixture of pasteurized or other ingredients. Federal milk, with or without other milk standards require ice cream to products, flavorings, seasonings, contain a minimum of 10% milk stabilizers, emulsifiers and lactic fat (about 7 grams (g) of fat per acid cultures. Because there are 1 /2 cup serving) and 20% total no specific standards for frozen milk solids by weight. Some yogurt, its ingredients and premium ice creams contain characteristics can vary. Frozen 16% milk fat. Added flavoring yogurt is pasteurized before must be identified on the label as freezing so it generally does not naturally flavored (i.e., raspberry contain live, active cultures like ice cream) or artificially flavored many unfrozen yogurts. Nonfat, (i.e., raspberry-flavored ice cream lowfat and full fat varieties of or artificially flavored raspberry frozen yogurt are available. Frozen ice cream). yogurt may be soft (as in cones or ■ Frozen Custard (French ice sundaes) or hard-frozen. cream, French custard ice cream) is similar to ice cream but contains a higher content of egg yolk solids. ■ Reduced-Fat Ice Cream, Lowfat Ice Cream, Light Ice Cream and Fat-Free Ice Cream all contain less fat per serving (1/2 cup) than regular (full fat) ice cream. Reduced-fat ice cream contains at least 25% less fat than the original product. Lowfat ice cream contains 3 grams (g) or less of fat per serving. Light ice cream contains at least 50% less fat, and fat-free ice cream contains less than 0.5 gram (g) of fat per serving. Copyright © 2000, NATIONAL DAIRY COUNCIL,® Rosemont, IL 60018-5616. ICE CREAM AND OTHER FROZEN DAIRY PRODUCTS NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Ice cream and frozen yogurt are nutritious foods providing high-quality protein, riboflavin (B2), calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. The calorie and fat contents of these dairy foods vary depending on the type of milk used and the addition Isn’t Frozen Yogurt of cream, egg yolk solids or COMMONLY ASKED a Healthier Choice Than sweetening agents. Sherbet QUESTIONS ABOUT Ice Cream? contains less fat, protein, calcium Both frozen yogurt and ice cream and vitamins than ice cream. ICE CREAM AND OTHER FROZEN provide calcium, protein and However, their calorie content other essential minerals. If you may be similar due to sherbet’s DAIRY PRODUCTS are concerned about calories or higher sugar content. Refer to the What Is Overrun fat intake, check the Nutrition Nutrition Facts panel on product in Ice Cream? Facts panel on product labels. labels for the nutritional contents Overrun is a measure of the A variety of frozen yogurts and of ice cream, sherbet and frozen volume of air whipped into the ice creams with different calorie yogurt. ice cream mix. Overrun does not and fat contents is available. have to be declared on the label. is also important to check STORING AND Quality ice creams have lower portion sizes. HANDLING overruns than those of reduced If I’m Lactose Intolerant, Store ice cream tightly covered quality. Generally the more Can I Eat Ice Cream and in the freezer at 0°F. To avoid overrun, the lower the cost of Frozen Yogurt? crystallization and volume loss, the ice cream. Individuals who have difficulty scoop ice cream, keeping the Why Do Ice Crystals Form digesting milk’s sugar, lactose, surface as level as possible. in Ice Cream? generally tolerate ice cream and Cover the surface of ice cream Ice crystals form when some of ice frozen yogurt about the same as with plastic wrap before cream’s water separates from fat milk with a meal. Ice cream and reclosing and return and eventually develops into frozen yogurt contain ingredients to the freezer larger ice crystals. The result is a that mix with lactose, thereby immediately. For grainy-textured ice cream. As long “diluting” the lactose. Your body ease in serving, as water remains trapped in an may be able to better handle soften ice cream emulsion with fat in ice cream, the lactose in a diluted than a by transferring it original ice crystals do not get concentrated form. Unlike to the refrigerator larger. To protect ice cream from unfrozen yogurt, frozen yogurt 10 to 20 minutes developing large ice crystals, do does not contain live, active before serving, or by not melt and refreeze ice cream, cultures that help to digest microwaving* it on HIGH and do not store ice cream well lactose. Frozen yogurt is (100%) in the carton for the below 0°F for a prolonged period. tolerated about the same following amounts of time: as ice cream by individuals 1 pint = 10 to 15 seconds with lactose intolerance. 1 quart = 15 to 25 seconds 1/2 gallon = 30 to 40 seconds *Since microwave ovens vary, cooking times may differ. Similar to ice cream, sherbet and frozen yogurt should be tightly covered and stored in the freezer at 0°F. NATIONAL DAIRY COUNCIL®.