Application of Ultrasound Homogenization in Milk Ice Cream Mixes

This study investigated the influence of ultrasound homogenization on the physical properties of milk ice cream mixes. A frequency of 20 kHz and an exposure time of 5 min was applied during the ultrasound homogenization to conduct experiments. Stability, particle size, rheological, and microscopic analyses were performed. Moreover, chosen stabilizers were used such as iota carrageenan or its hydrolyzates in combination with locust bean gum and xanthan gum. All parameters were checked before and after maturation at 4 °C/24 h. Based on the obtained results, it was noticed that the ultrasound homogenization contributed to a lower TSI value, which means that there is better stability during the maturation of milk ice cream mixes. In all of the mentioned samples, the TSI value was around 2 or less. Another pivotal finding connected with the particle sizes showed that simultaneously after and before maturation, the values of median D50 were lower in the samples after the mechanical homogenization than after the ultrasound. The rheological properties showed that all of the samples had pseudoplastic non-Newton behavior on the grounds that the value of the n index was lower than 1. Additionally, the consistency values in samples after the ultrasound treatment were lower than in samples after the mechanical homogenization and did not exceed 0.0018 × 10−3·Pasn after 24 h of maturation.