Ice cream can be defined as a frozen milk product which consists of milk components as well as other components such as sugar, eggs, and stabilizers_ emulsifiers, colorings, and flavors.
On average, ice cream is made up of about 12% milk fat, 11% fat-free milk powder, 15% sugar and about 0, 3% stabilizers such as gelatin and emulsifiers. Flavors, natural and artificial colorings may be added.
Ice cream and associated diseases:
There are many food-borne illness and microbial poisons which can be associated with ice cream. Many reported cases of food poisoning incidents have been linked to ice cream, especially when consumed by children with immune-compromised system. The following are food-borne illnesses which can be attributed to ice cream:
1. Salmonellas abdominal distention (especially in Children).
2. Intestinal Dysentery (Bacillus).
3. Hepatitis
Microbial infection usually comes from contaminated components of ice cream such as milk powder, sweeteners, stabilizers, flavors and water. It may also come from individuals involved in the manufacturing or selling of milk, especially street vendors who lack health awareness and do not maintain safe handling of food.
To safeguard ice cream against contamination with microbial infection, it is advisable to do the following;
1. Make sure that the components are clean and free from any infectious microbes.
2. Ensure that the pasteurization of the mixture is complete.
3. Do not allow sick or infected people to work in an ice cream manufactory.
4. Maintain hygienic conditions inside the manufactory.
5. Make sure ice cream is sold in clean containers.
6. Never allow street vendors to market ice cream. Health conditions may not be present in these situations.
Soft ice cream machines can be a typical source of microbial growth. This can be avoided by doing the following:
1. Ensure that the composing ingredients of ice cream are clean and free from any pathogenic microbes.
2. Make sure sellers are healthy.
3. Make sure the containers are clean.
4. Ensure that there are no insects_ especially the flying ones_ where ice cream is manufactured, prepared and sold.
5. Remove ice cream leftovers inside the machine when you finish your work.
6. Wash the freezer with warm pure water, and then sanitize it and wash it again with pure water.
7. You should repeat the washing and sanitization processes before remanufacturing.
8. In case the cooler breaks down, you should discard all the ice cream mixtures inside.