The Ice Cream Industry

Abstract

Frozen dairy desserts are characterized by containing milk solids (which may or may not include milk fat) and being consumed in the frozen state, and they are frequently also aerated. Within the frozen dairy desserts category, ice cream is the most widely consumed product, but frozen dairy desserts include frozen custard, frozen yogurt and sherbet, all of which could be hard or soft frozen, and frozen milkshakes and smoothies. The definition of ice cream varies globally, due to differing regulations and traditions of composition, and hence can be found with many formulation variations. Frozen dairy dessert products are available in multiple flavors and shapes (including handheld or impulse products). The category can be further divided according to hard-frozen products, those that contain a second freezing step after the dynamic freezing step, and soft-frozen products, those that are consumed directly and immediately after dynamic freezing with no hardening step. In this chapter, the size and scope of the industry globally is reviewed, and production and consumption statistics by region and by country are presented. A brief history of ice cream is reviewed and an overview of ice cream manufacturing is presented.