Sugar-reduced ice cream: controlling structural organization to influence perception

Summary

Within frozen desserts, low-sugar ice cream has become popular, attracting health-conscious consumers and individuals with dietary restrictions. As sugar is reported to be linked to many diseases, consumers have been seeking healthier alternatives to traditional high-sugar foods. The high sugar content in ice cream (15%-25%) is not consistent with a healthy lifestyle. So, it is necessary to find ways to reduce the sugar content in this product and increase flexibility in ingredients selection. Therefore, this thesis aimed to understand the role of sugars and sugar replacers on the structural elements of ice cream, as well as on the physical and sensory properties. By gaining insights into how sugar influences these aspects, we can develop effective sugar replacement strategies to optimize ice cream quality.