Question

The overrun in ice cream is indicated by:

• A. Ammeter reading in the freezer
• B. Whipping time in freezer
• C. Weight/litre of ice cream mix
• D. Weight/litre of ice cream

Hint:

Overrun is determined by weight. Because air has negligible mass, a lighter cup of finished ice cream compared to the same cup of unwhipped mix indicates a higher overrun.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Overrun is the volume of air incorporated into an ice cream mix during the whipping and freezing process, expressed as a percentage increase in the volume of the mix.
Incorporating air is essential to give ice cream its characteristic soft, creamy, and scoopable texture.
Key Formula or Approach:
The percentage of overrun can be determined by comparing the weight of a fixed volume of ice cream mix to the weight of the same volume of whipped ice cream:
\[ \text{\% Overrun} = \frac{\text{Weight of unit volume of mix} - \text{Weight of unit volume of ice cream}}{\text{Weight of unit volume of ice cream}} \times 100 \]

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate how overrun is measured in practice:
- The weight per unit volume (e.g., weight per litre) of the unwhipped ice cream mix is constant for a given formulation.
- As air is incorporated into the mix during freezing, the density of the product decreases, which reduces its weight per unit volume.
- By measuring the weight of a standard container filled with the whipped ice cream (weight/litre of ice cream), processors can determine the level of air incorporation.
- While the ammeter reading and whipping time relate to motor load and freezing progress, they do not directly indicate the physical overrun.
- The weight/litre of the final ice cream is the direct indicator of the overrun achieved in the product.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The overrun in ice cream is indicated by the weight/litre of ice cream. Hence, the correct option is (D).