High, creamy mountains of ice in many bright colors – what looks delicious is often an indication of additives. We’ll show you what to look out for when you go to the ice cream parlour.
Treat yourself to a refreshment on hot days – the nearby ice cream parlor is just the thing. But how do I recognize high-quality ice cream that is free of additives? The inscription “from own production”, which adorns many ice cream parlors, could be a first clue. Or?
“Homemade ice cream” can mean many things
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, because the terms “from our own production” or “homemade” are not legally binding. Making it yourself can mean a lot: Mixing ready-made powder, “refining” a ready-made base with fresh fruit or chocolate, or making your own ice cream from scratch. The consumer advice center is therefore calling for more transparency from ice cream manufacturers.
Then maybe a better look at the ingredients? This is not always possible either, because ice cream parlors are not obliged to provide them. They only have to declare allergens and individual additives, such as dyes. Bright, bright colors in the ice cream case are a possible indication that the ice cream was produced industrially and with additives. Even if the ice cream in the display case towers impressively, this is anything but a sign of quality. Rather, it is an indication of the use of emulsifiers.
Emulsifiers ensure that the ingredients mix well and the ice cream does not melt as quickly. But they also have downsides. The emulsifier polysorbate 80, which is often contained in ice cream, is suspected of promoting obesity and intestinal inflammation. Lecithin – the most common emulsifier – is harmless to health. However, it often comes from genetically modified soybean plants, which are grown in monocultures.
Under certain circumstances, the high ice towers also indicate insufficient cooling. You can also see how hygienic it is in an ice cream parlor by looking at the aprons, ice cream scoops and containers. If these are contaminated, there is a risk of an increased number of germs in the ice. During a hygiene check in Saarland, the ice usually did well. On the other hand, there were complaints about two out of three cream samples.
Nut ice cream – without nuts?!
Especially when it comes to nut ice cream, people cheat. It often doesn’t contain what should be in it: nuts. Pistachio ice cream, for example, is often tricked out by using flavors such as bitter almonds to compensate for the missing nut content or almost completely replace it.
In order to make the pistachio ice cream look like pistachios, manufacturers often help. Coloring plant dyes ensure a rich green and suggest pistachios in the ice cream. If chemical dyes are used, this must be stated on the label. So it’s best to take a closer look when you choose your ice cream in the ice cream parlour.
Note: If the sign says “pistachio-flavored ice cream” or “walnut-flavored ice cream” or something similar, you can assume that the flavor comes only from the added flavors and not from real nuts. Then you should rather reach for another ice cream.
If in doubt: ask or do it yourself
If you want to be sure what’s in your scoop of ice cream, you should check with the ice cream shop. You can also make ice cream yourself – even without an ice cream maker. Tip for vegans: sorbet should be free of milk components. But here, too, you better ask if you want to be on the safe side.