Ice cream has been loved by people all over the world for centuries. Traditional colorful ice creams often use artificial coloring, which makes people more concerned about the safety of these vibrant ice creams while pursuing their beautiful appearance. Blue can evoke a greater sense of coolness for those consuming ice cream during the scorching summer. The combination of the color blue and the ice cream’s cooling effect can better soothe the irritation caused by summer heat and high temperatures for consumers. As a result, blue spirulina has emerged as a natural solution for creating blue ice cream, catching the attention of ice cream manufacturers. Increasingly, more ice cream manufacturers are choosing to use blue spirulina as an ingredient to produce blue ice cream.
Spirulina Extract: Natural Blue Color and Health attributes
The core component of spirulina extract is phycocyanin. Typically, phycocyanin manufacturers sell spirulina extract in powder form with various specifications to ice cream manufacturers. However, to meet the needs of individual homemade ice cream enthusiasts and consumers at small, made-to-order ice cream shops, Binmei Biotechnology has introduced a small-packaged liquid form of spirulina liquid extract. This product does not require pre-dissolution and can be directly mixed with other ingredients, making the production of blue ice cream more convenient.
In addition, the core component of spirulina extract is phycocyanin, which is a highly unique functional ingredient with multiple benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and anticancer properties. Although ice cream manufacturers do not add a large amount of blue spirulina during ice cream production due to its excellent coloring effect, blue spirulina ice cream does not possess the same strong effects as pure phycocyanin supplements. However, choosing healthier ingredients and consuming healthier products can provide consumers who value quality with a strong sense of security. Because consumers are willing to pay for the health attributes of ice cream, the perceived value of blue spirulina ice cream is higher than that of traditional ice cream. Furthermore, by meeting consumers’ psychological demands for health, blue spirulina ice cream manufacturers can generate more profits and customer loyalty compared to traditional ice cream.
Considerations for industrial production of spirulina extract ice cream
In the industrial production of ice cream to add spirulina extract must pay attention to the following factors: First, it is necessary to control the proportion of spirulina extract to ensure that the market and consumers like the color, while controlling the cost of the product. Secondly, spirulina extract needs to be evenly distributed throughout the ice cream to avoid agglomeration and uneven color. Finally, it is necessary to consider the stability of spirulina extract in production, add spirulina extract at the back end of production as much as possible, and avoid processing processes such as high temperature, so that the color of ice cream can be kept bright blue.
Another consideration when using spirulina extract is its relatively high cost. However, consumers who seek health attributes in ice cream are not entirely the same group as those who seek only the cooling properties of ice cream itself. Consumers willing to pay for the health attributes of ice cream are also willing to pay a health premium, which, in turn, results in higher profits and consumer satisfaction for ice cream manufacturers due to this concept.
When adding blue spirulina to the ice cream production process, one of the most important factors is the quality of the spirulina extract used. Ice cream producers should ensure that they use high-quality, pure spirulina extract that is free of any chemical additives, including ammonium sulphate, and contaminants. In addition, it is important to carefully test the amount of spirulina extract added to the recipe to avoid any potential problems such as flavor imbalance or color unevenness.
Now, many ice cream companies around the world have started using spirulina extract as a natural color in their ice cream products. For example, Ben & Jerry’s has launched a line of vegan ice cream products that use spirulina extract as a natural colorant. The brand claims that spirulina extract gives ice cream a vivid green color and adds a subtle nutty flavor. Other companies that use blue spirulina in ice cream products include So Delicious, Perfect Day, and Oatly.
Choose BINMEI‘s high-quality spirulina extract
BINMEI prides itself not only on providing high-quality products, but also on providing customized application solutions to meet your needs. Spirulina extract from Binmei is obtained through a gentle physical process and does not contain any preservatives or chemical additives.
In conclusion, the use of natural ingredients such as spirulina extract and natural colors in ice cream production is gaining popularity as consumers become more conscious of health and safety. While there are some challenges to using spirulina in ice cream production, the potential benefits in terms of health, taste, and sustainability make it a food ingredient worth considering for ice cream manufacturers. Spirulina extract also has the potential to become a major natural pigment ingredient in the ice cream industry in the coming years.
