Development of Ice Cream with Improved Microbiological Safety and Acceptable Organoleptic Quality Using Irradiation

To develop the manufacturing method of ice cream with microbiologically safe and proper sensory quality using irradiation for sensitive consumer, 3 different flavors, which were resistant to their flavors against irradiation, were selected and used for ice cream manufacturing to reduce the irradiation-induced off-flavor problem. The general composition was not different among treatments. Total aerobic bacteria were detected as 2.38, 1.23, 1.38, and 1.15 log CFU/g level in ice cream with control(no flavor added), spearmint, mint, and citrus flavor, respectively. No viable cells were observed by irradiation at 1 kGy except for the control. Sensory evaluation indicated that the irradiated ice cream with spearmint flavor at 1 kGy and citrus flavor at 3 kGy had higher overall acceptability. Therefore, a low dose irradiation (less than 3 kGy) with mint or citrus flavors may enhance the safety of ice cream with proper sensory quality for sensitive consumer.