Ice cream is a delicious delicacy that both children and adults love. Some people keep a supply of ice cream in the freezer to keep it close at hand, but this can be unsafe.
Ice cream is a product prepared on the basis of milk and other components. Its composition imposes its own restrictions on the conditions and duration of ice cream storage.
Ice cream composition
The ice cream presented in stores today is characterized by a great variety. At the same time, the main difference between different types of ice cream is the fat content of the feedstock, and hence the finished product. So, among the types of this product, it is customary to distinguish milk ice cream, the fat content of which does not exceed 6%, as well as cream ice cream, the fat content of which is characterized by an indicator of over 6%.
In addition, ice cream can contain a variety of additional ingredients. So, the most common among them are a variety of fruit and berry fillings and fillings. Also widely used in the food industry are additives such as chocolate icing and cocoa, nuts, waffles, cookies and others.
Ice cream storage
You can store ice cream for a long time at a temperature not exceeding -18 ° C. Usually, this temperature is kept in the freezers of household refrigerators, so ice cream purchased for future use must be placed there. If your freezer provides for maintaining different temperatures in different compartments, it is advisable to choose the one where the temperature is lower: this will lengthen the shelf life of the ice cream.
The possible storage time of ice cream directly depends on its composition. At the same time, there is a direct relationship between the fat content of the product and its shelf life. So, milk ice cream with a fat content of up to 6% can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 months without deteriorating its taste. The shelf life of ice cream will also depend on its fat content: if it is in the range from 6% to 12%, the permissible shelf life of such a product should be no more than 4 months, and ice cream with a fat content of more than 12% can be stored for up to 5 months.
At the same time, the presence of any additives in the composition of ice cream has a negative effect on the possible duration of its storage. The fact is that even at low temperatures, mixing different ingredients can cause certain chemical reactions that accelerate the process of spoilage of the product. Therefore, if the ice cream contains fruit and berry or other additives or fillings, experts recommend storing it at a temperature not exceeding -18 ° for a time period not exceeding 3 months.
