Design and Experimental Implementation of a Mixing Apparatus for the Production of Flavor Infused Whipped Cream

Abstract

Commercially available whipped cream machines are currently in use in places such as restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes around the world. A potential market exists for a system capable of adding flavoring to the whipped cream product. The lack of an automated low-cost system capable of introducing flavorings or alcohols into the whipped cream product has been mostly due to difficulties in developing systems capable of ensuring solubility of the desired flavoring product into the whipped cream and the destabilizing effects of alcohol and sugar on the produced foam. This study represents the first attempt to our knowledge to design, manufacture, and test an automated system capable of creating dairy-based whip cream mixed with a variety of commercially available flavorings. Design factors included selectable serving size, flavor concentration, physical size of the system, flow and pressure regulation, and the inclusion of an automated cleaning cycle. Food and Drug Administration guidelines also state that dairy products must be stored at or below 4.44 C (40F) so temperature regulation was also included in the design. Experimental testing was done to determine characteristics of the dispensed product including strength properties of the whipped cream and how those properties vary with differing whipping methods. The results of this study are indicative of a process that successfully foams and flavors a serving of whipped cream and therefore allow venues such as cafes and restaurants to offer previously unavailable products to consumers.