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For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan J. Anthony
410-592-7683
ICE CREAM GLOSSARY
& FACTS
Definition
Ice Cream consists of a mixture of dairy ingredients - such as milk
and nonfat milk, and ingredients for sweetening and flavoring, such
as fruits, nuts and chocolate chips. Functional ingredients, such as
stabilizers and emulsifiers, are often included in the product to promote
proper texture and enhance the eating experience. By federal law, ice
cream must contain at least 10% milkfat, before the addition of bulky
ingredients, and must weigh a minimum of 4.5 pounds to the gallon.
Flavors
Vanilla is still the flavor of choice in ice cream and novelties, in
both supermarket and foodservice sales. This flavor is the most versatile,
mixing well with toppings, drinks and bakery desserts. In terms of supermarket
sales, America's top five favorite individual flavors in 2001 were vanilla,
chocolate, neapolitan, butter pecan and chocolate chip. Candy flavored
ice cream saw the highest rate of individual flavor growth in 2001,
with a 1.3% volume increase.
There is also an increasing consumer
appetite for more adventuresome combinations of tastes. This emerging
trend includes flavors made from ingredients such as:
Marula Fruit
– tart sweet and refreshing with a “guava-like” taste.
Can be described as “tropical”, “revitalizing”,
“pleasant”, or “sour-sweet”.
Blood Orange
– a type of citrus, it has a sweet, deep red colored flesh.
Most varieties of blood orange (even the pulp and skin) are slightly
sweet, and not bitter.
Prickly Pear
– a member of the Cactus Family.
The fruit or pear is edible and used in jellies and other sweet treats.
Mascarpone Cheese
– a triple-crème cheese.
It has a smooth texture similar to stiff whipped cream.
Phyllo Dough
– a paper-thin Greek pasty dough.
It has a flaky and crunchy texture.
Overview
In 2000, total U.S. sales of ice cream and frozen desserts reached nearly
$20 billion. Of that total, $7.1 billion was spent on products for "at
home" consumption, while $12.9 billion was spent on "away
from home" frozen dessert purchases (scoop shops, foodservice and
other retail sales outlets.) Source: IDFA (latest data available)
Ice cream and related frozen desserts are consumed
by more than 90% of households in the United States. Source: ACNielsen
Ice cream is second among the top five foods women
crave, according to Shape magazine. The top five are chocolate, ice
cream, potato chips, cookies and french fries.
According to 2001 supermarket volume sales, regular
fat ice cream accounts for the largest share of the frozen dessert market,
with 80%. Reduced-fat, light, lowfat and nonfat ice cream account for
11% of the market, followed by sherbet (4.5%), frozen yogurt (4%), and
sorbet (0.5%). Source: Information Resources Inc. (IRI)
Based on 2001 supermarket sales of ice cream, the
top five flavors in terms of share of segment in the United States are:
vanilla (28%), chocolate (8%), neapolitan (7%), butter pecan (4.5%),
and chocolate chip (3.5%). Source: IRI
Ice Cream Production
Total U.S. production of ice cream and related frozen desserts in 2000
amounted to more than 1.6 billion gallons, which translates to about
23 quarts per person. Source: USDA (latest data available)
In 2000, California again produced the largest volume
of ice cream and related frozen desserts in the United States, followed
by Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York and Minnesota. Source: USDA
(latest data available)
Sales
Based on supermarket statistics in 2001, ice cream volume sales by quality
segment were: super premium (3.5%), premium (51.5%) and regular (45%).
Source: IRI
Nearly 80% of supermarket ice cream sales are packaged
in half-gallon containers, but the gallon container segment (with a
2.5% share) is experiencing the fastest growth in individual container
size, up 23% over 2000. Based on 2001 supermarket sales, IRI
Premium Ice Creams
These terms are not regulated but generally mean anything with at least
11% butterfat. Ice creams using these descriptors range in calories
from 150 to 300 per half cup, provided in part by 8 to 20 grams of fat.
In comparison, "regular" ice cream contains around 140 calories
and 7 grams of fat per half cup.
Labeling Definitions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets standards of identity
for many foods so that consumers will get a consistent product, no matter
what brand or type they buy. For ice cream,
FDA permits the use of nutrient descriptors such as
"light," "reduced fat" and "lowfat" so
that consumers know exactly what they're selecting in terms of nutritional
content.
Here are some of the terms consumers are seeing in
the supermarket, and exactly what those terms mean:
- Ice cream is a frozen food made from a mixture
of dairy products, containing at least 10% milkfat.
- "Reduced fat" ice cream contains at least
25% less total fat than the referenced product (either an average
of leading brands, or the company's own brand.)
- "Light" ice cream contains at least 50%
less total fat or 33% fewer calories than the referenced product (the
average of leading regional or national brands.)
- "Lowfat" ice cream contains a maximum
of 3 grams of total fat per serving (1/2 cup).
- "Nonfat" ice cream contains less than
0.5 grams of total fat per serving.
Sources: International Dairy Foods
Association
Colorado State University
Perry’s Ice Cream Company, Inc.
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