The application of the descriptor “sugar-free” to ice cream would require the presence of <0.5 g per serving of sugars, i.e., the sum of all mono- and disaccharides. To produce such a product, it would be necessary to remove not only the conventional added sweeteners, as in no-sugar-added (NSA) products, but the lactose contributed by conventional dairy ingredients as well.
Enzymes are proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions. Ice cream is made from a host of naturally occurring raw materials with enzyme activity, manufactured ingredients produced using enzyme systems and/or materials to which enzymes have been added.
The shelf-life of ice cream is determined by when, and under what conditions, a product feature fails. Microbiological, chemical and some physical features rarely change after ice cream is hardened, stored or distributed. However, sensory properties-flavor, body and texture-do change when ice cream is exposed to high temperatures and temperature fluctuations (i.e., heat shock).
To effectively manage costs, it is easiest and best to consider sources of costs, quantify the opportunities, and deal with cost management based on specific priority considerations. Priorities can be determined by total cost saving, convenience, need and/or speed. Priorities vary from organization to organization and even within a single organization, so care is necessary when applying an appropriate priority to a cost savings opportunity.
