Ice cream - Rheology

6 important questions on Ice cream - Rheology

How does the concentration of polysaccharides influence the viscosity?

  • Low concentration below the overlap concentration (no network formation), increase in viscosity is moderate
  • In a freeze-concentrated state, the overlap concentration is reached (network formation) and the solution becomes more viscous.

What happens to the polysaccharides in a network at high shear rate?

The entangled polysaccharides are pulled apart, and gives a sudden decrease in 'viscosity' (shear thinning).

How do ice crystals influence the strength/hardness of the ice cream?

They increase the strength/hardness, because they are solid particles suspended in the matrix. Because ice crystals can interact during flow and because they are not spherical, the effect on the strength/hardness is large.
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How do fat droplets in emulsions and gas bubbles influence the strength/hardness of the ice cream?

  • Fat droplets are hard, and when dispersed in the serum phase, they will increase the strength/hardness of the ice cream
  • In case the fat droplet melt, they will not be present as hard particles anymore, and the strength/hardness might decrease.

What happens in zone I?

  • Elastic modulus: amount of ice crystals and their connectivity. The higher the connectivity and the larger the ice volume fraction --> larger elastic modulus
  • Loss modulus: flowability/scoopability, viscosity of the matrix.
    • The larger the viscosity of the serum phase --> larger loss modulus
    • Increase in overrun (looser matrix, less connectivity) --> smaller loss modulus --> better flowability/scoopability

What is the difference between the effect of air bubbles on the loss modulus in the frozen state (zone I) and melted state (zone III)?

Frozen state --> air bubbles decrease the loss modulus
Melted state --> air bubbles increase the loss modulus

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