Question

The process to increase in volume caused by whipping air into the ice cream mix during freezing is called ________.

• A. Homogenization
• B. Aging
• C. Overrun
• D. Hardening

Hint:

Overrun measures the air content in frozen dairy desserts. A $100\%$ overrun means the final ice cream contains equal parts air and liquid mix, which is key to achieving a light, smooth texture.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Ice cream is a complex colloidal emulsion containing milk fat, proteins, ice crystals, and air cells.
Incorporating air during the freezing process is necessary to give the product its soft, scoopable texture and prevent it from freezing into a solid block of ice.
Detailed Explanation:
The volume increase caused by whipping air into the ice cream mix during freezing is called Overrun (C).
- It is calculated using the following formula:
\[ \text{\% Overrun} = \frac{\text{Volume of ice cream produced} - \text{Volume of mix used}}{\text{Volume of mix used}} \times 100 \] - Standard commercial ice creams typically have an overrun of $70\text{ to }100\%$, meaning the volume of the final product is nearly double the volume of the starting liquid mix.
Let us review the other options:
- Homogenization (A): The process of breaking down fat globules into smaller, uniform sizes to prevent creaming.
- Aging (B): Holding the mix at low temperatures ($4\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$) for several hours to allow proteins to hydrate and fat to crystallize before freezing.
- Hardening (D): Rapidly freezing the packaged ice cream to very low temperatures (below $-18\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$) to set its structure.

Step 2: Final Answer:
The process of increasing the volume of ice cream by incorporating air is called Overrun.