Concepts & Properties

Table of Contents

1. The Ingredient Library
2. Creating & Editing Ingredients
3. Basic Nutritional Properties
4. Ice Cream Science: PAC, POD & HF
5. Dairy-Specific Properties
6. Chocolate-Specific Properties
7. Validation & Quality Checks

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1. The Ingredient Library

The Ingredient Library is your central hub for browsing, searching, and managing all ingredients available for your ice cream recipes. The library contains both shared/public ingredients (available to all users) and your personal ingredients (ingredients you’ve created or customized).

1.1 Understanding the Ingredient Table

The ingredient table displays comprehensive information about each ingredient:

Always Visible Columns:

• Name – The ingredient name (double-click to view/edit details)
• Category – Color-coded category chip (Dairy, Sugar, Fat, Fruit, Chocolate, Stabilizer, etc.)
• Actions – Edit, copy, delete buttons

Customizable Columns:

You can show/hide additional columns based on your needs. The system offers over 30 different data columns organized into categories:

Basic Nutritional Data:

• Total Fat, Protein, Total Sugars
• Water, Total Solids
• Carbohydrates (US & EU), Fiber

Ice Cream Properties:

• PAC – Freezing point depression factor
• POD – Relative sweetness
• HF – Hardening Factor (for chocolate/nuts)
• MSNF – Milk Solids Not Fat
• Lactose

Detailed Nutrition:

• Saturated Fat, Unsaturated Fat, Trans Fat
• Cocoa Fat, Milk Fat, Other Fat
• Sugar (excluding lactose), Added Sugars, Polyols
• Sodium, Cholesterol, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Vitamin D
• Stabilizers, Emulsifiers

To Customize Columns:

1. Click the Display Columns card (visible on desktop only)
2. Click any column name chip to toggle it on/off (selected columns show in blue)
3. Use the Default button to reset to standard columns (Total Fat, Total Sugars, Total Solids, PAC, POD)

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1.2 Search & Filtering

The search and filter system helps you quickly find the right ingredients:

Search by Name

• Type in the Search field to filter by ingredient name or description
• Search is real-time
• Searches both ingredient names and the info/description field
• Case-insensitive matching

Filter by Category

Use the Category dropdown to show only ingredients from specific categories:

• Dairy – Milk, cream, butter, milk powders
• Sugar – Sucrose, dextrose, syrups, sweeteners
• Fat – Oils, butter, cocoa butter
• Fruit – Fruit purees, juices, fresh fruits
• Chocolate – Cocoa powder, chocolate bars, cocoa mass
• Stabilizer – Gums, starches, stabilizer blends
• Emulsifier – Lecithin, mono/diglycerides
• Alcohol – Spirits, liqueurs, wine
• Nut – Nut pastes, nut butters, nuts
• Egg – Egg yolks, egg whites, whole eggs
• Other – Everything else (salt, vanilla, spices, etc.)

Filter by Source (Authenticated Users Only)

The Source filter helps you distinguish between different types of ingredients:

• All Sources – Show everything
• Default – Shared/public ingredients available to everyone (marked with public icon)
• Modified Default – Your customized versions of shared ingredients (marked with edit icon and warning chip)
• Personal – Ingredients you created from scratch (marked with person icon)
• Recipe-Derived – Ingredients created from your recipes (marked with restaurant icon)

Understanding Source Types

Default (Shared) Ingredients:

• Available to all users
• Read-only (you cannot directly modify them)
• Shown with a brown/grey background and public icon
• When you edit a shared ingredient, you create a “Modified Default” version

Modified Default (Override) Ingredients:

• Your personal copy/override of a shared ingredient
• Shows with orange background and “Will Create Custom Version” or “Customizable Version” chip
• Your recipes will use YOUR version instead of the shared version
• You can delete your custom version to revert back to the shared ingredient

Personal Ingredients:

• Created by you from scratch
• Shows with blue background and person icon
• Only visible to you (not shared with other users)
• Full control – you can edit or delete these

Recipe-Derived Ingredients:

• Created from your recipes (turning a recipe into an ingredient)
• Shows a restaurant icon
• Can be updated automatically when the source recipe changes
• Useful for creating components (bases, variegates, inclusions)

Clearing Filters

When you have active filters, a Clear Filters button appears showing you how many ingredients match your filters (e.g., “Showing 45 of 237 ingredients”). Click this button to reset all filters and see everything.

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1.3 Ingredient Actions

For All Users (Authenticated):

Edit (pencil icon)

• Opens the ingredient editor
• For shared ingredients: Creates a custom version automatically
• For personal/modified ingredients: Edits your existing ingredient

Copy (copy icon)

• Creates a new personal ingredient based on the selected one
• Automatically generates a unique name (e.g., “Whole Milk (Copy)”, “Whole Milk (Copy 2)”)
• Useful for creating variations of existing ingredients

For Personal Ingredients Only:

Delete (trash icon)

• Permanently deletes your personal ingredient
• Shows warning if ingredient is used in recipes or has stock/production records
• Requires confirmation before deletion

For Modified Default Ingredients:

Revert to Original (undo icon)

• Removes your custom version
• Returns to using the shared ingredient
• If you have stock records, they’re transferred to the shared ingredient
• Requires confirmation

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1.4 Visual Indicators

The ingredient table uses color coding and icons to help you quickly identify different types of ingredients:

Row Colors:

• Brown/Grey background with left border – Default (shared) ingredients
• Orange background with left border – Modified Default (your overrides)
• Blue background with left border – Personal ingredients

Icons:

• Restaurant icon – Recipe-derived ingredient (appears before name)
• Public icon – Shared/default ingredient (in source display)
• Edit icon – Modified default (in source display)
• Person icon – Personal ingredient (in source display)

Chips/Badges:

• Category chip – Color-coded by category (blue for Dairy, purple for Sugar, etc.)
• “Recipe-Derived” chip – Purple, shown for ingredients from recipes
• “Customizable Version” chip – Blue, shown when editing a shared ingredient that will create an override
• “Will Create Custom Version” chip – Orange warning, shown on shared ingredients you’re about to customize

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1.5 Guest Users vs Authenticated Users

As a Guest (Not Logged In):

• Can browse all shared/public ingredients
• Can search and filter by category
• Can view ingredient details (double-click)
• Cannot edit, create, or delete ingredients
• Cannot filter by source (since you don’t have personal ingredients)
• See a notice encouraging you to sign up to add custom ingredients

As an Authenticated User:

• Everything guests can do, plus:
• Create new ingredients
• Edit any ingredient (creates custom version for shared ones)
• Delete your personal ingredients
• Copy ingredients
• Filter by source to find your personal ingredients
• See recipe-derived ingredients you’ve created

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2. Creating & Editing Ingredients

2.1 Creating a New Ingredient

There are several ways to create ingredients:

Method 1: Add New (Manual Creation)

1. From the Ingredients page, click the Add New button (green, top right)
2. This creates a blank ingredient named “New Ingredient”
3. Fill in all the properties manually
4. Best for: Simple ingredients or when you know all the values

Method 2: USDA Database Import

1. Click Add New to create a blank ingredient
2. On the Edit page, click the USDA Database button
3. Search for your ingredient in the USDA database
4. Import the nutritional data automatically
5. Best for: Standard foods with official nutrition data

Method 3: Nutrition Label Import

1. Click Add New
2. Click the Nutrition Label button
3. Enter data from a product’s nutrition label
4. The system estimates ice cream properties
5. Best for: Commercial products with nutrition labels

Method 4: AI Assistant

1. Click Add New
2. Click the AI Assistant button
3. Describe the ingredient to AI in natural language
4. AI estimates all properties including PAC/POD
5. Best for: Quick estimates or unusual ingredients

Method 5: From Recipe

1. Click Add New
2. Click the From Recipe button
3. Select one of your existing recipes
4. The recipe’s nutritional values become the ingredient
5. Best for: Using bases, variegates, or sub-recipes as ingredients

Method 6: Copy Existing Ingredient

1. Find a similar ingredient in the library
2. Click the Copy button
3. Modify the copied ingredient
4. Best for: Creating variations (e.g., different fat % milk)

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2.2 The Edit Ingredient Page

The Edit Ingredient page is organized into logical sections:

Header Section (Always Visible):

• Title – “Edit Ingredient” with edit icon
• Source chips – Shows the ingredient type (Default, Personal, Recipe-Derived, etc.)
• Back to List button – Returns to ingredients library
• Save button – Saves changes

Basic Information Card:

• Name – Required field for ingredient name
• Category – Dropdown to select category
• Description/Notes – Multi-line text field for additional info

Import Actions Card:

Four large buttons for importing ingredient data:

• USDA Database – Import from official database
• Nutrition Label – Enter from product label
• AI Assistant – Smart ingredient creation
• From Recipe – Convert recipe to ingredient (personal ingredients only)

Recipe Source Card (Recipe-Derived Ingredients Only):

• Shows which recipe this ingredient comes from
• Displays when it was last updated from the recipe
• Warning indicator if the source recipe has changed since last update
• Update from Recipe button – Recalculates values from current recipe
• Unlink from Recipe button – Removes the connection (keeps current values)

Validation Summary Card:

Shows data quality issues with your ingredient:

• Errors (red) – Must be fixed before saving (e.g., negative values)
• Warnings (orange) – Should be reviewed (e.g., water/solids imbalance)
• Info (blue) – Suggestions for improvement
• Quick-fix buttons to automatically correct common issues

Collapsible Data Cards:

Click the expand/collapse arrow to show/hide each section:

• Settings – Core ice cream properties (expanded by default)
• Fats – Detailed fat breakdown
• Sugars – Sugar composition
• Solids – Non-fat, non-sugar solids
• Advanced Nutrients – Minerals, vitamins, alcohol
• Nutrition Facts – Read-only calculated values (expanded by default)
• Allergen Information – Contains/May Contain allergens

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2.3 Understanding the Workflow

When You Edit a Shared Ingredient:

1. Click Edit on any shared/default ingredient
2. You see a “Will Create Custom Version” chip
3. Make your changes
4. Click Save
5. System creates YOUR personal copy (override)
6. Your recipes will now use your version
7. Other users still see the original shared ingredient

When You Edit Your Personal Ingredient:

1. Click Edit on your personal ingredient
2. Make changes directly
3. Click Save
4. Changes are saved to the same ingredient
5. No new ingredient is created

When You Edit a Modified Default:

1. Click Edit on an ingredient you’ve already customized
2. You see a “Customizable Version” chip
3. Make changes
4. Click Save
5. Updates your custom version
6. Original shared ingredient is unchanged

⚠️ Important: You can delete your custom version to revert back to the shared ingredient. Use the “Revert to Original” button in the ingredients list.

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2.4 Save Button Behavior

The Save button adapts based on validation status:

• “Save” – Ready to save (green button)
• “Fix X Errors to Save” – Validation errors prevent saving (disabled button)
• “Saving…” – Save in progress (disabled with spinner)

What happens when you save:

• Validation runs automatically
• If errors exist, save is blocked with specific error messages
• If warnings exist, you can still save (warnings are advisory)
• Success message appears after successful save
• You return to the ingredients library

For shared ingredients: First save creates a new custom version and redirects to the library where you’ll see your new “Modified Default” ingredient.

For personal ingredients: Save updates the existing ingredient and you return to the library.

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3. Basic Nutritional Properties

Understanding how ingredient properties work is essential for creating accurate recipes and nutrition labels.

3.1 The Water-Solids-Alcohol Relationship

Every ingredient must satisfy this fundamental equation:

Water + Total Solids + Alcohol = 100%

These three values are automatically balanced:

• Change Water → Total Solids adjusts
• Change Total Solids → Water adjusts
• Change Alcohol → Water adjusts

Examples:

Whole Milk:

• Water: 87.5%
• Total Solids: 12.5%
• Alcohol: 0%
• Sum: 100% ✓

Vodka (40% ABV):

• Water: 60%
• Total Solids: 0%
• Alcohol: 40%
• Sum: 100% ✓

Chocolate (70%):

• Water: 1%
• Total Solids: 99%
• Alcohol: 0%
• Sum: 100% ✓

💡 Pro Tip: The validation system will warn you if these don’t balance within 1%. Use the “Balance Water/Solids” quick-fix button to automatically correct any imbalance.

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3.2 Total Solids Composition

Total Solids is the sum of all non-water, non-alcohol components:

Total Solids = Total Fat + Total Sugars + Protein + Other Solids + Stabilizers + Salt

The system tracks this automatically:

• When you change any component (fat, sugars, protein, etc.), Total Solids recalculates
• When Total Solids changes, Water adjusts to maintain the 100% total
• If components don’t match Total Solids, Other Solids is used to balance

Other Solids Explained:

Other Solids is a “catch-all” category for everything not specifically tracked:

• Ash (minerals)
• Unidentified carbohydrates
• Minor components
• Rounding differences

Example – Whole Milk:

• Total Solids: 12.5%
• Total Fat: 3.25%
• Total Sugars (Lactose): 4.8%
• Protein: 3.2%
• Other Solids: 1.25% (minerals, ash)
• Sum: 12.5% ✓

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3.3 Fats

Total Fat

The total amount of all fats in the ingredient (per 100g). This is what appears on nutrition labels.

Fat Subtypes:

Saturated Fat:

• The portion of total fat that is saturated
• Required for nutrition labels
• Must be ≤ Total Fat
• Examples: Butter is high in saturated fat (~50%), olive oil is low (~14%)

Unsaturated Fat (calculated):

• Automatically calculated: Total Fat – Saturated Fat – Trans Fat
• Not entered directly
• Includes both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats

Trans Fat:

• Industrially produced or naturally occurring trans fats
• Required for nutrition labels (especially in US)
• Usually very small or zero

Ice Cream Specific Fats:

Milk Fat:

• Fat from dairy sources
• Important for ice cream texture and mouthfeel
• Typical range: 0-16% in ice cream recipes
• Used in ice cream balancing

Cocoa Fat (Cocoa Butter):

• Fat from chocolate/cocoa
• Used to calculate Hardening Factor (HF)
• Makes ice cream firmer at serving temperature

Other Fat (calculated):

• Total Fat – Milk Fat – Cocoa Fat
• Includes: vegetable oils, nut fats, egg fat, etc.
• Also used in Hardening Factor calculation

⚠️ Note: Milk Fat + Cocoa Fat should not exceed Total Fat. The validation system will warn you if this relationship is incorrect.

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3.4 Carbohydrates

Regional Differences:

Total Carbohydrates (US definition):

• Includes fiber
• This is what you enter in the system
• Appears on US nutrition labels
• Formula: Total Sugars + Fiber + Starch + Other Carbs

Carbohydrates EU (calculated):

• Excludes fiber
• Automatically calculated: Total Carbohydrates – Fiber
• Appears on EU nutrition labels

Carbohydrate Components:

Total Sugars:

• All sugars (natural and added)
• Includes: sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, etc.
• Important: Total Sugars should only include mono- and disaccharides.
• Most important for ice cream balancing (affects freezing and texture)
• Used to calculate PAC and POD

Added Sugars (US nutrition labels only):

• Sugars added during processing
• Does NOT include natural sugars (like lactose in milk)
• Required on US nutrition labels since 2020
• Must be ≤ Total Sugars

Dietary Fiber:

• Non-digestible carbohydrates
• Inulin, gums, resistant starch, etc.
• Has significant impact on ice cream texture
• Affects water binding and scoopability

Polyols (Sugar Alcohols):

• Maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt
• Used in sugar-free/reduced sugar products
• Has different PAC values than regular sugars
• May need to be declared separately on labels

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3.5 Protein

Protein content per 100g of ingredient:

• Important for ice cream structure and texture
• Dairy proteins (casein, whey) behave differently than egg or plant proteins
• Used in balancing instead of (or in addition to) MSNF
• Typical ice cream: 3-4% protein from dairy

Why Protein Matters in Ice Cream:

• Stabilizes air bubbles (overrun)
• Provides body and mouthfeel
• Affects melting resistance
• Too much can cause sandy texture

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3.6 Minerals and Vitamins

These values are primarily needed for nutrition label creation:

Salt and Sodium:

Salt:

• Total salt content (per 100g)
• Has very high PAC value (freezing point depression)
• Affects ice cream texture significantly
• Formula: Salt (g) = Sodium (mg) × 2.5 / 1000

Sodium:

• Elemental sodium content (in mg per 100g)
• Required for US nutrition labels
• Formula: Sodium (mg) = Salt (g) × 1000 / 2.5

💡 Note: The system validates that salt and sodium values are consistent. If you enter one, you can calculate the other.

Other Minerals (for nutrition labels):

• Cholesterol – In mg per 100g (mainly from dairy and eggs)
• Calcium – In mg per 100g (important in dairy products)
• Iron – In mg per 100g
• Potassium – In mg per 100g
• Vitamin D – In μg (micrograms) per 100g

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3.7 Energy (Calories)

Energy is calculated automatically based on macronutrients:

Energy (kcal) = (Carbs – Fiber) × 4 + Protein × 4 + Fat × 9 + Alcohol × 7 + Fiber × 2 + Polyols × 2.4

Energy formats:

• kcal – Kilocalories (also called “Calories” with capital C)
• kJ – Kilojoules (kcal × 4.184)
• Both are displayed in the Nutrition Facts section

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3.8 Allergen Information

The system tracks two levels of allergen information:

Contains (Definite):

Allergens that are definitely present as ingredients:

• Milk & Dairy
• Eggs
• Tree Nuts
• Peanuts
• Gluten (Wheat)
• Soy
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Sesame
• Mustard
• Celery
• Lupin
• Molluscs
• Sulphites
• Coconut

May Contain (Cross-contamination):

Allergens that may be present due to manufacturing processes or shared equipment.

Managing Allergens:

1. Expand the Allergen Information card
2. Click allergen chips to toggle them on/off
3. Blue (filled) chips = selected, grey (outlined) = not selected
4. Use Auto-Detect from Name button to guess allergens based on ingredient name
5. Use Clear All to reset allergen information

⚠️ Important: An allergen cannot be in both “Contains” and “May Contain” at the same time. If you select it in one section, it’s automatically removed from the other.

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4. Ice Cream Science: PAC, POD & HF

These are the most important properties for ice cream formulation that you won’t find on standard nutrition labels.

4.1 PAC (Freezing Point Depression)

What is PAC?

PAC stands for Potere Anti-Congelante, an Italian term that translates to “anti-freezing power” or freezing point depression factor. It measures how much an ingredient lowers the freezing point of water.

Why it matters:

• Controls ice cream hardness at serving temperature
• Affects scoopability
• Determines how much ice forms vs liquid water
• Critical for texture and mouthfeel

PAC Values (examples per 100g):

Ingredient	PAC Value	Effect
Sucrose (table sugar)	100	Reference standard
Glucose/Dextrose	190	Nearly 2x stronger than sucrose
Fructose	190	Nearly 2x stronger than sucrose
Lactose	100	Same as sucrose
Maltose	100	Same as sucrose
Higher order sugars	50-70	Weaker effect
Salt	585	Very strong (6x sucrose)
Alcohol (ethanol)	740	Extremely strong (7x sucrose)

How PAC is Calculated:

PAC is based on molecular weight and sugar composition. The system uses these formulas:

For pure sugars:

• PAC = (342.3 / molecular weight) × 100
• Where 342.3 is the molecular weight of sucrose

For mixed ingredients:

• PAC = (% sugar₁ × PAC₁) + (% sugar₂ × PAC₂) + …
• Weighted average based on sugar composition

💡 Example: If an ingredient is 10% sucrose and 5% glucose:
PAC = (0.10 × 100) + (0.05 × 190) = 10 + 9.5 = 19.5

Special Cases:

Salt PAC (automatic):

• Salt PAC is calculated automatically from the Salt field
• Shows in the read-only “PAC salt” field
• Do NOT add salt PAC to the regular PAC field
• The system handles salt PAC separately in calculations

Alcohol PAC:

• Use the Alcohol button to calculate from volume %
• The tool converts volume % to weight % correctly.
• You must ADD the alcohol PAC to the ingredient’s PAC value

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4.2 Using the PAC/POD Calculator

The calculator tool helps you estimate PAC and POD from sugar composition or molecular weight.

Method 1: Sugar Composition

1. Click the PAC/POD calculator button (or use Calculate button next to PAC field)
2. Enter the percentages for each sugar type in your ingredient
3. Fill in: Sucrose, Lactose, Glucose, Fructose, Maltose, Maltotriose, Galactose, Trehalose
4. Add Sugar Alcohols (polyols) if present
5. Add Higher Order Sugars (maltodextrins, etc.)
6. Add Alcohol % if present
7. Click Calculate
8. The tool shows calculated PAC and POD values
9. Click OK to apply to your ingredient

Example – Honey:

• Fructose: 40%
• Glucose: 35%
• Sucrose: 2%
• Maltose: 1%
• Total: 78% (rest is water and other)
• Result: PAC ≈ 145, POD ≈ 125

Method 2: Molecular Weight

If you know the molecular weight (molar mass) of your ingredient:

1. Open PAC/POD calculator
2. Switch to Molecular Weight tab
3. Enter molar mass in g/mol
4. Click Calculate PAC
5. Note: This only calculates PAC, not POD

Formula:

• PAC = (342.3 / molar mass) × 100
• Where 342.3 is sucrose molecular weight

⚠️ Note: POD cannot be calculated from molecular weight alone. It requires relative sweetness data which depends on sugar composition.

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4.3 POD (Relative Sweetness)

What is POD?

POD stands for Potere Dolcificante, which translates to sweetening power or relative sweetness. It measures how sweet an ingredient is compared to sucrose.

Why it matters:

• Balance sweetness across different sugar types
• Substitute sugars while maintaining sweetness
• Create consistent sweetness in recipes
• Important for sugar reduction strategies

POD Values (examples per 100g):

Sugar Type	POD Value	Relative Sweetness
Sucrose	100	Reference (100%)
Fructose	170	1.7x sweeter
Glucose	77	0.77x as sweet
Lactose	16	0.16x as sweet (barely sweet)
Maltose	40	0.4x as sweet
Maltotriose	30	0.3x as sweet
Higher order sugars	20	0.2x as sweet
Sugar alcohols	25-90	Varies by type

How POD is Calculated:

Similar to PAC, POD is calculated from sugar composition:

POD = (% sugar₁ × POD₁) + (% sugar₂ × POD₂) + …

💡 Example: Invert sugar (50% glucose, 50% fructose):
POD = (0.50 × 77) + (0.50 × 170) = 38.5 + 85 = 123.5
Result: 1.23x sweeter than sucrose

Using POD in Practice:

Sweetness Equivalents:

• 100g sucrose (POD 100) = 59g fructose (POD 170)
• 100g sucrose (POD 100) = 130g glucose (POD 77)
• 100g sucrose (POD 100) = 625g lactose (POD 16)

This means you can substitute sugars while maintaining the same sweetness level by adjusting the amounts based on POD values.

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4.4 HF (Hardening Factor)

What is HF?

HF or Hardening Factor measures how much an ingredient makes ice cream firmer/harder at serving temperature. It’s essentially a “negative PAC” – while PAC softens ice cream, HF hardens it.

Why it matters:

• Chocolate makes ice cream harder (more frozen water)
• Nuts and nut pastes increase firmness
• Must compensate with more PAC (sugars) or higher fat
• Critical for chocolate and nut-based ice creams

How HF is Calculated:

The system uses this formula based on Corvitto’s research:

HF = (Cocoa Fat × 0.9) + (Cocoa Solids × 1.8) + (Other Fat × 1.4)

Components:

• Cocoa Fat – Cocoa butter from chocolate (coefficient: 0.9)
• Cocoa Solids – Dry cocoa particles (coefficient: 1.8 – strongest effect)
• Other Fat – Non-dairy, non-cocoa fats like nut oils (coefficient: 1.4)

Example – 70% Dark Chocolate:

• Cocoa Fat: 39%
• Cocoa Solids: 31%
• HF = (0.39 × 0.9) + (0.31 × 1.8) = 0.351 + 0.558 = 0.909
• Displayed as: 90.9

Using the HF Calculator:

1. Click the HF calculator button (or Calculate next to HF field)
2. System automatically calculates from Cocoa Fat, Cocoa Solids, and Other Fat
3. Click OK to apply

💡 Pro Tip: When adding chocolate to ice cream, you need to increase PAC (add more sugars) to compensate for the hardening effect. A common rule: for every 10% chocolate, add 1-2% extra sugar.

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5. Dairy-Specific Properties

For dairy ingredients, the system tracks additional properties important for ice cream making.

5.1 MSNF (Milk Solids Not Fat)

What is MSNF?

MSNF stands for “Milk Solids Not Fat” (also called “serum solids” or “milk solids non-fat”).

MSNF includes:

• Lactose (milk sugar) – ~54.5% of MSNF
• Milk proteins (casein + whey) – ~36% of MSNF
• Minerals and ash – ~9.5% of MSNF

Formula:

MSNF = Total Solids – Milk Fat

Or more detailed:

MSNF = Lactose + Protein + Other Solids (minerals/ash)

Why MSNF Matters:

• Traditional ice cream balancing parameter
• Provides body and texture
• Typical ice cream: 9-12% MSNF
• Too high: sandy texture from lactose crystallization
• Too low: weak body, icy texture

Calculating MSNF:

Use the MSNF calculator button:

1. Click the calculator icon next to MSNF field
2. System calculates: Lactose + Protein + Other Solids
3. Click OK to apply

Example – Whole Milk:

• Total Solids: 12.5%
• Milk Fat: 3.25%
• MSNF: 12.5 – 3.25 = 9.25%
• Breakdown: Lactose 4.8% + Protein 3.2% + Minerals 1.25% = 9.25%

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5.2 Milk Fat vs Total Fat

Milk Fat:

• Fat specifically from dairy sources
• Butter, cream, whole milk, etc.
• Typical ice cream: 10-16% milk fat
• Creates characteristic dairy flavor and mouthfeel

When to use Milk Fat tracking:

• Creating traditional dairy ice cream
• Want to track dairy fat separately from other fats
• Following recipes that specify milk fat content

Relationship:

• Milk Fat ≤ Total Fat
• Total Fat = Milk Fat + Cocoa Fat + Other Fat

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5.3 Lactose

What is Lactose?

Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.

Why track it separately:

• Can crystallize if too high (causes sandy texture)
• Maximum recommended: ~9% of water content
• Has specific PAC value (100, same as sucrose)
• Low sweetness (POD = 16)
• Important for lactose-intolerant customers

Lactose in Common Dairy:

Ingredient	Lactose %
Skim milk	~5.0%
Whole milk	~4.8%
Heavy cream	~3.1%
Skim milk powder	~52%
Whey powder	~70%
Butter	~0.1%

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6. Chocolate-Specific Properties

Chocolate ingredients require special attention due to their unique impact on ice cream texture.

6.1 Understanding Chocolate Composition

Chocolate Components:

• Cocoa Mass – Ground roasted cocoa beans (contains both fat and solids)
• Cocoa Butter – Fat extracted from cocoa beans (Cocoa Fat)
• Cocoa Solids – Dry particles after removing cocoa butter
• Sugar – Added sweetener
• Milk Solids – In milk chocolate only

Chocolate Percentage:

The “%” on chocolate labels (e.g., 70% dark chocolate) refers to:

Chocolate % = Cocoa Solids + Cocoa Fat

The remaining percentage is sugar (and milk solids for milk chocolate).

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6.2 Cocoa Solids

Cocoa Solids are the dry, non-fat particles from cocoa beans.

Properties:

• Provide chocolate flavor
• Strongly increase Hardening Factor (coefficient: 1.8)
• Absorb water
• Make ice cream firmer at serving temperature

Estimating Cocoa Solids:

If you have a technical data sheet:

• Use the provided cocoa solids value directly

If you only know chocolate % and fat %:

• Cocoa Solids = Chocolate % – Cocoa Fat %
• Example: 70% chocolate with 39% fat → Cocoa Solids = 70 – 39 = 31%

If you only know chocolate % (no fat data):

• For dark chocolate: Assume Cocoa Solids ≈ Cocoa Fat ≈ Chocolate % / 2
• Example: 70% chocolate → Cocoa Solids ≈ 35%, Cocoa Fat ≈ 35%</li

6.3 Cocoa Fat (Cocoa Butter)

Cocoa Fat is the natural fat extracted from cocoa beans.

Properties:

• Unique melting profile (melts cleanly at body temperature)
• Contributes to chocolate snap and mouthfeel
• Increases Hardening Factor (coefficient: 0.9)
• More stable than milk fat

Cocoa Fat in Different Products:

Product	Typical Cocoa Fat %
Cocoa powder (10-12% fat)	10-12%
Cocoa powder (20-24% fat)	20-24%
70% dark chocolate	35-42%
Milk chocolate (35%)	15-20%
Cocoa butter (pure)	100%

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6.4 Working with Chocolate in Ice Cream

The Hardening Problem:

Chocolate makes ice cream firmer because:

• Cocoa solids absorb water
• Cocoa fat has a different crystallization behavior
• More water freezes at serving temperature
• Result: Rock-hard ice cream

Solutions:

1. Increase PAC – Add more sugars (especially glucose/dextrose)
   • Rule of thumb: +1-2% sugar per 10% chocolate
2. Increase fat – Add cream or milk fat
   • Fat doesn’t freeze and keeps texture softer
3. Use cocoa powder instead – Less fat = less hardening
   • 10-12% fat cocoa powder has less impact than chocolate

💡 Pro Tip: When formulating chocolate ice cream, always use the HF calculator and compensate with extra PAC. The validation system will show you if your chocolate content is causing balance issues.

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7. Validation & Quality Checks

The validation system helps ensure your ingredient data is accurate and consistent.

7.1 Understanding Validation Levels

Error (Red – Must Fix):

• Prevents saving the ingredient
• Data is logically impossible or would cause calculation errors
• Examples:
  • Negative values
  • Values exceeding 100%
  • Saturated fat > Total fat

Warning (Orange – Should Review):

• Allows saving but indicates potential issues
• Data may be unusual or inconsistent
• Examples:
  • Water + Solids + Alcohol ≠ 100% (off by >1%)
  • Component fats don’t sum to total fat
  • High lactose that might crystallize

Info (Blue – Suggestions):

• Advisory information
• Helps improve data quality
• Examples:
  • MSNF could be calculated
  • Trans fat detected
  • Unusual protein level for category

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2. Negative Values

Issue: “Water cannot be negative (currently -2.5g)”

Cause: Total Solids + Alcohol > 100%

Quick Fix:

• Click “Set to 0” button for the negative field

Manual Fix:

• Reduce Total Solids or Alcohol
• Or check if you entered percentages instead of decimals

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3. Total Solids Composition

Issue: “Total Solids (35g) vs. sum of components (42g) – check if values balance”

Cause: Fat + Sugars + Protein + Other Solids + Stabilizers + Salt ≠ Total Solids

Solutions:

• Let system recalculate Total Solids from components
• Or adjust Other Solids to balance
• Or check for data entry errors

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4. Fat Relationships

Issue: “Saturated Fat (45g) cannot exceed Total Fat (36g)”

Cause: Component fat exceeds total

Quick Fix:

• Click “Set to Total Fat” button

Manual Fix:

• Reduce saturated fat
• Or increase total fat if the saturated value is correct

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5. Salt/Sodium Relationship

Issue: “Salt/Sodium relationship: 1.1g salt ≈ 440mg sodium (entered: 95mg)”

Cause: Salt and sodium values are inconsistent

Information:

• This is INFO level, not an error
• Formula: Sodium (mg) = Salt (g) × 400
• Or: Salt (g) = Sodium (mg) / 400

Fix:

• Decide which value is correct (salt or sodium)
• Adjust the other to match

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6. Lactose Crystallization Risk

Issue: “High lactose content may cause crystallization during storage”

Cause: Lactose > 9% of water content

Explanation:

• Maximum lactose solubility in water: ~9%
• Above this, lactose may crystallize during storage
• Results in sandy texture

Solutions:

• Use skim milk powder instead of whey powder
• Reduce dairy ingredients
• Use lactose-free milk
• Accept the risk if short storage time

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7.2 Field-Specific Validation

When a field has validation issues, it’s visually highlighted:

[Image placeholder: Input field with red border and error icon in the adornment]

Visual Indicators:

• Red border – Error level
• Orange border – Warning level
• Blue border – Info level
• Icon in field – Error/Warning/Info icon
• Tooltip on hover – Shows specific issue

Multiple Issues on One Field:

If a field has multiple validation issues, the highest severity is shown:

• Error > Warning > Info

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Summary

You’ve now learned the complete ingredient system:

1. Ingredient Library – Browse, search, filter, and understand ingredient sources
2. Creating & Editing – Multiple methods to add ingredients, understanding the workflow
3. Basic Properties – Water, solids, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and their relationships
4. Ice Cream Science – PAC (freezing), POD (sweetness), HF (hardening)
5. Dairy Properties – MSNF, milk fat, lactose tracking
6. Chocolate Properties – Cocoa solids, cocoa fat, and managing hardening effects
7. Validation – Understanding errors, warnings, and how to fix common issues

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Last updated: [Current Date]

Version: 1.0