Light, low fat and fat free ice creams were prepared by continuous processing using a modified starch for fat replacement.
The sensory attributes for the light sample were not significantly different from those of the regular fat sample.
For the low fat and fat free samples sensory results for coldness and firmness were not significantly different from those for regular fat ice cream whereas viscosity, smoothness and mouth coating were generally lower than in the regular fat.
Instrumental measurements of firmness were correlated with the sensory firmness and also showed no difference between the regular fat and light samples.
The low fat sample tended to be firmer than the regular fat but the fat free sample was not.
In general, the ability of modified starches to improve the texture of fat reduced ice cream products depends on the type of modified starch used and the handling with respect to other ingredients of the ice cream mix. If the starch component is in gelled or in a retrogradedlike state within the ice cream, the texture will reflect excessive interactions between starch polymers. This may explain the increased firmness noted for the fat free sample of the second trial when the batch of modified starch had changed. An effective fat replacer can be achieved if the starch polymers function by helping to disperse other polymeric components and ice crystals. Overall, adequate evidence has been provided to support the potential benefits to structure and texture of using modified starch for fat replacement in vanilla ice cream products.