Some frozen treats are labeled "dairy dessert" instead of "ice cream" because they do not meet the specific standards required to be legally called ice cream.
Here's a breakdown:
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Legal Standards: In many regions, including the United States, ice cream production is regulated. These regulations specify minimum requirements for ingredients like milkfat and the maximum amount of air (overrun) that can be incorporated.
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Milkfat Content: Ice cream typically needs to have a minimum percentage of milkfat (usually around 10%). If a product has less milkfat than this threshold, it cannot be labeled as ice cream.
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Overrun (Air Content): Overrun refers to the amount of air whipped into the ice cream during freezing. Too much air results in a less dense and less creamy product. There are limits on how much overrun is permitted for a product to be legally called ice cream. For example, with 100% overrun, a gallon of ice cream base results in two gallons of finished ice cream. Products with lower overrun are denser and creamier, like premium ice creams.
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Other Ingredients: The inclusion of certain other ingredients, or exceeding limits on stabilizers and emulsifiers, can also disqualify a product from being labeled as "ice cream." Sometimes cheaper ingredients replace some of the required milkfat.
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Frozen Dairy Dessert Label: If a product doesn't meet the legal definition of "ice cream" due to any of the reasons above, it's often labeled as "frozen dairy dessert." This indicates that it's a similar type of product, but it doesn't adhere to the strict standards for ice cream.
In summary, the "dairy dessert" label indicates that the product doesn't meet specific requirements for milkfat content, overrun, or other regulatory standards that define "ice cream."
