Glycerol Monostearates in High-Fat Ice Cream

Abstract. Ice cream is a complex food product stabilized by emulsifiers that maintain fat-water equilibrium. Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are the most popular industrial ice-cream emulsifiers. Monoglyceride emulsifiers contain glycerol monostearates, whose properties are similar to stabilizers and emulsifiers. This article describes the effect of monoglycerides on the quality of ice cream during production and storage. Experimental ice cream mixes demonstrated better viscosity with 95% glycerol monostearates, which enhanced the stability of fat globules and, eventually, the structural integrity of the finished product. The sample with 95% glycerol monostearate was the most resistant to oxidation: the oxidation induction period of the fat phase was twice as long as in the control sample, suggesting the presence of antioxidant properties in glycerol monostearates. The emulsifier sample with 95% glycerol monostearate promoted finer ice crystal dispersion, maintaining the smallest crystal size even after three months of storage. Emulsifiers with high concentrations of glycerol monostearate proved able to enhance the consistency, structure, and oxidative stability of high-fat ice cream.