Rheological and Thermal Properties of Ice Cream Formulations

Ice cream is a complex multi‐phase colloidal system in which water, fat globules, proteins, air cells and stabilisers interact to produce a wide spectrum of textures and melting behaviours. Rheological properties such as mix viscosity, viscoelastic response and shear‐thinning behaviour govern processing performance, overrun and scoopability, while thermal parameters—including freezing point depression, glass transition temperature and heat shock sensitivity—determine structural stability during storage. The microstructure formed by ice crystals, fat networks and unfrozen serum phase underpins hardness, creaminess, meltdown rate and mouthfeel. Advances in oscillatory rheology, cryo-microscopy and in-line X-ray tomography have delivered quantitative insight into how formulation variables (fat content, emulsifiers, polysaccharide type, air incorporation) and thermal cycling influence both microscopic architecture and macroscopic performance. A thorough understanding of these interrelated properties is essential for the design of low-fat, high-protein, plant-based and clean-label ice creams with tailored sensory and functional attributes.

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Rheological and Thermal Properties of Ice Cream Formulations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in rheological and thermal properties of ice cream formulations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Overrun: The percentage increase in volume of ice cream resulting from air incorporation during freezing and whipping.

Viscoelasticity: The combined viscous and elastic response of a material under deformation, reflecting both flow and recovery.

Pseudoplastic fluid: A shear‐thinning fluid whose apparent viscosity decreases as shear rate increases, common in ice cream mixes.

Fat destabilisation: The controlled partial coalescence of fat globules during ageing and freezing to form a stabilising network.

Glass transition temperature (Tg): The temperature at which the unfrozen serum phase transforms from a brittle glassy state to a softer rubbery state, affecting texture and shelf life.

References

1. Structural and functional differences between ice crystal-dominated and fat network-dominated ice cream. Food Hydrocolloids (2023).
2. Role of polysaccharide structure in the rheological, physical and sensory properties of low-fat ice cream. Current Research in Food Science (2023).
3. Effect of fat aggregate size and percentage on the melting properties of ice cream. Food Research International (2022).
4. Time-Resolved Tomographic Quantification of the Microstructural Evolution of Ice Cream. Materials (2018).