Ice cream, made with ingredients, like milk, cream, eggs and sugar is a summer treat loved by many. Have you ever wondered why ice cream doesn't taste as good once it has partially melted and been frozen again? Well lets explore the science behind it; When ice cream melts it loses some of its air content and the structure of the ice crystals changes, which affects its density.
In terms when making ice cream the mixture is whipped while being frozen to incorporate air and increase its volume. This results, in air bubbles and ice crystals (measuring 20 50 microns) that give ice cream its texture.
At the time the air bubbles are surrounded by molecules that attract protein. As the ice cream starts to melt its molecular composition undergoes changes.
The ice crystals. Release sugars that were trapped within them. As the layer of fat and protein thins out during melting the air bubbles. The composition returns to a state. When refrozen after melting the ice cream won't have the texture as before because it has lost some of the air from the whipping process and will no longer be as soft.
When the ice crystals, in your ice cream get bigger they capture sugar, which makes the texture harder and grainier.
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