Analytical Report - Ice cream

Introduction

The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 set a compositional standard for ice cream in relation to the fat content. To use the name ice cream in a food it must contain at least 5% fat and at least 2.5 per cent milk protein. To be called “dairy” only milk fat must be used. Non-dairy ice cream often contains non-milk vegetable fats. In addition, ice cream contains flavourings (of which the most popular is vanilla) and various food additives to improve the texture, such as stabilisers and thickeners.

Thirty samples of ice cream were submitted for analysis by West Kent Trading Standards to test for the levels of fat to ensure compositional standards are being met and also to consider the amount of fat per portion as people seek to reduce their fat intake for a healthy lifestyle.

Summary of results

Four samples were reported as having unsatisfactory labelling. Three were from small producers and had minor errors. The fourth, from a large national chain, had nutritional information that was not sufficiently accurate. Further sampling will be undertaken to determine if this is a one off or a problem of quality control that needs to be addressed.

An ice cream can never be a low fat product as this claim is only permitted for foods with 3% or less fat and the standard for ice cream as mentioned above requires a minimum of 5% fat. However the amount of fat per portion in the samples ranged from 6.7% to 37.7%. This higher result was for vanilla ice cream from a small artisan producer, the first ingredient being whipping cream. This shows that there is the possibility for consumers to select an ice cream with less fat than other ice creams.

Consumers looking for lower fat options can look for the Front of Pack Signpost Labelling Traffic Lights –

High (red) Eat occasionally, perhaps as a treat or in small amounts

Medium (amber) Okay most of the time

Low (green) The healthier option

This tries, in a simple way, to tell consumers whether any food they may be considering purchasing contains small, medium or large amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. It inevitably has deficiencies, but does provide at-a-glance information provided enabling busy consumers to make an informed choice about the food they purchase. A consumer does not have to read the packet in order to see whether the nutrients supplied are high or low but can use the traffic lights. Alternatively consumers may find information in a nutrition panel. Both of these methods are voluntary unless a product makes a claim such as ‘reduced fat’ in which case a nutrition panel is required.

Three of the samples had a fat content that would qualify for High (red), the remaining 27 being Medium (amber). None were Low (green) hence consumers often selecting sorbets as an alternative.

The manufacturer’s declared portion size varied greatly from 42g to 100g. Of course fat intake will depend on the portion size eaten. Recent research by the Food Standards Agency has found that the portion size eaten tends to be greater than that recommended by the portion size given on the pack.