Danisco targets stabilisers to avoid dairy price-hike

Dansico launched Grinstead IcePro SS on a fat-reduction platform in December 2006, when the price of class II milk 3.5 percent test was $13.50 per cwt.

Since then it increased to $17.50 in the middle of last month.

This is the highest it has been since summer 2004, when it was on the descent from a peak of $20.50, and has given more weight to Danisco's campaign since it can help manufacturers protect their bottom line.

According to Dansico, unstable dairy costs present ice-cream makers with a headache.

It is difficult to avoid using butterfat and dairy solids without impacting taste, but th eDanish group says that the IcePro system allows manufacturers to use less dairy ingredients - thus safeguarding them from unprecedented fluctuations.

Jennifer Lindsey, Danisco's dairy industry manager called the net effect is "a cost-reduction, not quality reduction".

In addition to improving the health and wellness profile of products by reducing fat, Lindsey added: "It also has the added benefit of protecting against the quality defects found commonly in ice cream over the course of the product's shelf life."

Danisco initially introduced the Grinsted IcePro system in 2004 as a stabiliser/emulsifier system that protects ice cream through multiple heat shock cycles.

Temperature fluctuations in the environment surrounding the ice cream, such as those present during distribution and home storage cause ice crystal growth.

Throughout shelf life, ice crystals continue to grow, eventually becoming detectable within the mouth.

When this occurs, a once smooth textured ice cream becomes rough textured and its flavour can taste off.

The company estimates that ice cream produced with Grinsted IcePro stabilisers had ice crystal growth that was 37 to 57 percent smaller than ice cream produced with conventional stabilisers.