Stabilizers and emulsifiers are "mighty mites" - with low use rates, they have a major influence(s) on the chemistry, physics and behavior of ice cream. But are they really necessary? It depends.

Understanding and managing the shelf life of ice cream and related products is difficult enough. Maximizing (i.e., extending) the shelf life is the study of a lifetime.

Sucrose (i.e., sugar) remains the "gold standard" among all sweeteners. However, when considering novel applications, including approaches to cost reduction, reducing "total sugars" or reducing calories, alternatives to sucrose may be more appropriate.

The perception of any flavor (F) is a combination of appearance (A), aroma (A), acidity (A), taste (T), texture (T) and temperature (T), or "FAAATTT." Although these attributes hold for most foods and food ingredients, they do not capture the whole of the chemical and physical challenges in flavoring plant-based frozen desserts.

Sweeteners of all types are used in frozen desserts for a variety of straightforward reasons.