Ensuring sweet success for ice cream companies this summer

Ice cream manufacturers and the Dairy Technology Team at the College of Agriculture and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) have been busy since they first came together last May at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Eating Well Choosing Better event ‘Formulating for a Healthier Future’.

FSA highlighted ice cream as a significant contributor to children’s sugar intakes which government has challenged the food industry to reduce by at least 20% by 2020. Industry can achieve this through reduction of sugar levels in products, reducing portion size or shifting purchasing towards lower sugar alternatives. Since then processors have worked with dairy technologists at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus to address the challenges and opportunities for making their product ranges healthier without compromising on taste.

The next seminar will outline the benefits of sensory science, ingredient application and novel food processing techniques. CAFRE and FSA are collaborating with their colleagues in AFBI’s Food Science team to provide a demonstration on the relatively new sensory method of ‘temporal dominance’. This method describes the evolution of the dominant sensory attributes during tasting of a food product. Processors can also hear about the benefits of using high pressure processing to improve the functionality of milk proteins resulting in tastier ice cream products containing less sugar and fat. An ingredients supplier, Healy Group will present ingredient applications specifically for ice cream products.

There is still time to avail of CAFRE’s mentoring support package to help with the most challenging and technical aspects of sugar reduction and reformulation without compromising on quality.

The next seminar will be held at CAFRE’s Loughry campus on 29 May 2019.

For more information on this programme of work or to register your interest in attending the seminar, contact Dr Roisin Lagan, Food Technologist @ roisin.lagan@daera-ni.gov.uk or alternatively on: 028 8676 8153.

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