Importance Of An Ice Cream Ageing Tank

by Avadhesh Sharma SEO Analyst

You can hardly find someone (despite the person is restricted to having cold food!) who does not love to get indulged in the creamy world of vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch or mango ice creams! This desert is famous in every country, in every age group of people.

Ice cream –

It is a frozen assortment of air, sweet cream fusion and added flavours. The CFR (US code of federal regulations) has mentioned in its standards of identity that the manufacturers may use different types of ingredients in making an ice cream but the amount of milk solids, milk fat and air to use will be limited. It should contain a minimum of 20% milk solids and 10% milk fat along with safe sweeteners and other flavouring ingredients.

Fat in ice cream:

Milk fat adds richness and creaminess to this desert. It makes a huge contribution to the melting features of ice cream. Hence, the fat content ranges between 10 – 16% in a mediocre to premium ice cream. The milk fats may come from butter, cream or milk.

In the manufacturing process of ice cream, ageing the mix is a crucial stage. And, this method is performed using an ice cream ageing tank.

Ageing the mix –

At about 5 degree Celsius (40 degree Fahrenheit) temperature the ice cream is required to be kept for at least 4 hours or overnight. The ageing process is mandatory to cool down the ice cream mix before it is kept for freezing. It also makes the milk fat crystalized partially and offers hydration for the protein stabilizers. All these together are meant to advance the whipping property of the mixture.

So, finally the mix is kept for ageing inside the ice cream ageing tank for a minimum of 4 hours. Well, the manufacturers prefer keeping it overnight. In this time, the fat gets cool down and crystals start appearing on it. Also, polysaccharides and proteins need to get hydrated completely.

So, why ageing is done? It is to improve the overall texture of the ice cream and the whipping quality of its mixture.

Ageing does do by –

• Allowing fat crystallization to partially coalesce the fat.

• Completely hydrating stabilizer and protein and results in a slight increase in viscosity.

• Rearranging membrane and protein interaction

Ice cream ageing tank –

The entire ageing process of ice cream preparation is executed in an ageing tank. Here the mix is kept at the minimum temperature without freezing, which is normally <= 5 degree Celsius. In any average condition of the plant, an overnight ageing time is recommended. An ice cream mix that is unaged is detected instantly in a freezer.

Characteristics of an ice cream ageing tank –

Any reputed ice cream ageing tank manufacturer provides tanks which can easily keep the mixes at 4 degree Celsius or below. It contains a slow stirrer. It uses Freon or cold water as per the demand of the refrigerant. Then the fluid used for refrigerating nourishes the pillow plate exchanger that usually remains integrated inside the ageing tank. Generally, a tank can hold 300 – 12000 litres fluid.

An ice cream ageing tank uses the electronic control and is used in open or close condition.