Gelato, an artisan ice cream, is generally lower in fat and softer in texture than typical ice cream and tends to be served at a lower temperature.
The Danish ingredients company said its new emulsifier and stabiliser system, called Cremodan Gelato 11, helps manufacturers achieve the same authentic soft texture as artisan ice cream but at temperatures of -18°C. This compares to the usual 12°C that gelato is served at.
Anne Marstein, Danisco application specialist, told FoodNavigator.com: “Gelato is the original Italian concept where they are producing ice cream in the back room of their stores and selling it within a few days.
“Artisan producers will usually serve it at -12°C to -15°C,which makes it much softer than common ice cream.
“The concept is that we have modified the recipe and made an emulsifier and stabiliser especially for this ice cream so now, by using industrial equipment, you will get the same sort of texture you get for gelato in Italy.
Marstein said that the raw materials used for gelato are the same as ice cream but the recipes and equipment used tend to be a little different.
She added: “They don’t homogenise the mix and they are freezing the ice cream in a batch freezer instead of a continuous one.
“If you use the same recipe - the same mix - you will get better ice cream from a continuous freezer than a batch freezer.”
Cremodan Gelato 11 is designed for a continuous freezer which Marstein said freezes the ice cream much faster, making a significant difference to the production process.
Danisco said the softness of the gelato was achieved by using the low calorie (2.4 kcal/g) sweetener xylitol, a sugar alcohol with the same sweetness as sucrose but with a much higher freezing point depression effect (2.2 times the freezing point depression of sucrose).
Danisco also claims that Cremodan Gelato 11 ensures the gelato texture is maintained during storage and distribution, so that consumers get a smooth and fresh product.
Gelato has the reputation for having less fat at around four per cent, compared to eight per cent for standard ice cream in Europe.
Marstein said that they have seen growing demand for gelato, particularly in Europe and North America, for many years.
She added: “It is not only growing in popularity, it also has a higher value.”
Global market
The global volume of artisan ice cream is nine per cent, however, the value of the artisan market represents 21 per cent of the total ice cream market, according to Euromonitor.
Danisco said the target shelf life for the gelato was 24 months at a storage temperature of -30°C, with a smooth dense texture at a -18°C serving temperature.
The system is also said to help achieve a fast melting, refreshing product without stickiness and improve shelf life quality.
The Danisco gelato concept is composed of five Italian-style flavour versions developed with the fFirmenich: Gelato Crema di Panna, Gelato di Coffee, Gelato di Straciatella, Gelato di Cioccolato and Gelelato Tiramisu.