To achieve such ice three factors must be respected

Spring will be cold. Very cold: 15 Celsius. Tremble, ice creams! Since Nestlé ice or Tetra Pak Hoyer have developed new processes for the manufacture of ice at very low temperatures that consumers should be able to enjoy this summer. Traditionally, to produce a cream, three phases are necessary, at a temperature between 4 and 5 C. The mixture of fat (cream, milk...) and water in a sweet solution, in the form of a foam in suspension. It is the phase of homogenization, which gives the texture of the ice by dispersing the fat. Then are incorporated slowly fragrances and ingredients during the maturation phase. All of the mixture is finally stirred to give its lightness and its volume and enter the air in the preparation.

But fluctuations ( 25 C) storage and conservation among consumers ( 18 C) temperatures are crystallize a portion of the water molecules, and can alter the texture of the ice. Such point that the consumer may feel, from time to time, these crystals in the mouth. To remedy this problem, one solution: more intimately mixing water with the other ingredients, in improving the mixing technique in the production process. "Rather to stay 4 or 5 C, we go down to very low temperatures, the order of 15 C," explains Francis Sphor, Nestlé ice operating engineer.

In itself, nothing impressive. However, the temperature drops, the ice becomes hard and erodes the metal. To avoid this pitfall, two other parameters are taken into account. "To achieve such ice, three factors must be respected." "In addition to temperature, mixing must be slow, and pressure must be 6 to 10 times greater than the atmospheric pressure for a better stabilization of ice," said Francis Sphor.

It is based on a similar method that Tetra Pak Hoyer offers a line of production of ice at low temperature called "DeepBlue". "These various settings give a very viscous preparation, explains Peter h. Larsen, head of business development for Tetra Pak Hoyer." In addition, to such temperatures, the fineness of the particles becomes more important.

Less than fresh cream

Under the effect of pressure and temperature, the diameter of the particles is reduced by 30-40, and their volume decreased 10 to 20. The microbubble to air and fewer and smaller ice crystals aggregate easier and require less fat. At the time this slow brewing to produce a more smooth, sweeter, but also less fat ice by limiting the use of fresh cream. "This method allows to reduce from 20 to 30 raw materials used for the manufacture of ice," adds Peter h. Larsen.

Tetra Pak Hoyer sells machines to manufacturers around the world. Six production lines have been sold since their marketing late last year, at a cost around 300,000 euros. But to absorb such an investment, it is necessary for customers to manufacture and sell large volumes of ice cream. Since this fall, Polish ice Kilargo manufacturer uses this machine.

Nestlé ice, he relies on technology "House", developed by its American subsidiary Dreyers under the brand name "Slow churned" (slowly brewed). "Across the Atlantic, this new technology has increased the sales of ice by 70 in volume in the range of"Light"for a higher price by 5 from a traditional ice", explains Bernard Tual, Director of marketing for Nestle ice. The company is poised to launch this month on several European markets its new products. Marketed under the brand name the dairy, the ice should be marked "creamy and slightly, slowly whipped." Decidedly, the ice-creams are more poorly treated, but it is for our good.