Effect of Vegetable Milks on the Physical and Rheological Properties of Ice Cream

The nutritional properties and health benefits of ice cream can be improved by substituting cow's milk with vegetable milks. In the present study cow's milk in ice cream was replaced by soy, coconut and composite milk (combinations of coconut or cow milks with soy milk). The changes in ice cream eating qualities and physical properties (melting rate, apparent viscosity, hysteresis, fat globule size and its zeta potential and freezing behavior) were evaluated. The use of vegetable milk to replace cow milk increased pH and decreased melting rate. Ice creams containing composite milk have reduced the melting rate, freezable water amount, particle size and total acceptability of ice creams whereas increased viscosity and hysteresis area with increasing soy milk content. The vegetable milks as composite milk can use to replace cow milk without markedly affecting the quality of ice cream.