Semi-finished ice cream products

Semi-finished ice cream and dessert products let a manufacturer supply a shelf-stable base that the end user finishes with milk or water. Custard powder and jelly powder are two of the most common examples. Custard powder is a mixture of corn starch, sugar and flavourings used to make custard, a thick, creamy dessert; it is mixed with milk and heated on the stovetop until it thickens, then chilled until it sets, and may be flavoured with vanilla, chocolate or other flavours. Jelly powder, also known as gelatin, is a mixture of gelatin, sugar and flavourings used to make gelatin desserts; the powder is mixed with boiling water to dissolve the gelatin, then chilled until it sets, and it comes in a variety of flavours and colours.

Both are popular dessert mixes that can be used to create a variety of different desserts, are widely available in grocery stores and can be used in a variety of recipes. For a processor, that breadth of end use is the commercial argument: a single powder line can serve retail sachets, foodservice packs and industrial dessert bases.

Commercial production follows four stages. Ingredient selection covers sugar, corn-starch or modified starch, milk powder, and flavourings such as vanilla. Mixing combines these in a specific ratio to create a homogeneous mixture. Heating and drying takes the mixture to a specific temperature to activate the starch and create a thick, smooth texture, after which it is dried using spray drying, roller drying or drum drying to remove moisture and create a powder. Packaging is then carried out in various sizes and forms such as sachets, cans or jars.

The plant decisions that matter most sit in the drying step and the packing hall — the choice between spray, roller and drum drying shapes the powder characteristics, while the pack format determines the filling and sealing lines required downstream.