The importance of ice cream crystallization

In the process of ice cream production, it is very important to make ice cream produce a certain amount of crystallization. The final quality and taste of ice cream will be greatly affected. In the following article, we will talk about the relevant knowledge of ice cream crystallization, and understand the importance of ice cream crystallization.
Crystallization is the process of forming (natural or artificial) solid crystals precipitated from solution, melted or directly precipitated from gas. We know that the final quality of ice cream and its smooth texture depend on the size distribution of ice crystals and the viscosity of ice cream. Therefore, one of the most important goals of the ice cream machine is to produce ice cream with many small ice crystals, thereby producing a smooth texture, and maintaining the size distribution of the ice crystals until consumption.
There are many process conditions that affect ice crystal size distribution and viscosity. Such as mixing flow, evaporation temperature, cylinder pressure, speed and air flow. In the ice cream manufacturing process, several steps must be performed, such as homogenization, aging and freezing of the stirred mixture.
Homogenization can reduce the size of the cream balls, thereby forming a better emulsion and helping to form a smoother, creamier ice cream. Homogenization also ensures that the emulsifiers and stabilizers are uniformly mixed and evenly distributed in the ice cream mixture before freezing.
Aging can crystallize the fat part of the milk, so that the protein stabilizer has time to hydrate. This improves the whipping characteristics of the mixture.