The effect of vegetable fat on the physicochemical characteristics of dates ice cream

Abstract

The effects of vegetable fats in low‐calorie dates ice cream were studied. Fourteen different formulations were optimized by ‘simplex lattice design’. Three types of fat (palm mid‐fraction, palm olein and rice bran oil) were chosen to investigate their particle size distribution, melting resistance, amount of protein in the aqueous phase, colour, viscosity, total solids, percentage of overrun, fat and calorie value in ice cream. Statistical significance was determined by using analysis of variance and compared with the Duncan multiple range test using the SAS program. The significance level was 95% (P = 0.05). The types of fat used in an ice cream formulation have an impact on the colour, particle size diameter, viscosity and caloric value. A high percentage of palm mid‐fraction (> 12%) gave a high intensity of brightness, but less redness and yellowness, while a high percentage of palm olein and rice bran oil gave high intensity of redness and yellowness. Moreover, viscosity was associated with formulations characterized by a high solid fat content. The more unsaturated and the longer the fatty acid chains of the vegetable fat used in the formulation, the more pronounced was the fat globule destabilization. However, the effect of the different fats on melting resistance was less pronounced.