Ice confections

Abstract: Multicoloured ice confections are a popular consumer product and are often sold in tubs. A multicoloured marbled effect is obtained in an ice confection by mixing the streams of different colours in a paddle extruder.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the preparation of a multicoloured ice confection product marketed in containers, eg plastic tubs, and displaying the multicolouring on the upper surface. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Ice confection products are known which have a 'ripple' or continuous swirl throughout the product. The 'ripple' or swirl will usually have a different flavour and is often a syrup or sauce. For instance, Patent document US-A-4 881 663 discloses an ice confection product composed of a ice cream base coextruded with a syrup, flavorant, colorant or fruit puree and displaying a multicoloured pattern. However, to date it has not been possible to provide a product having two or more different coloured streams of ice confection, where the different streams are not as distinct as in the 'rippled' products of the prior art, but nevertheless a degree of distinction is retained between the colours. Such products can be described as having a "marbled" pattern. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It has been found that the desired marbled effect can only readily be achieved by the use of a paddle extruder. The paddle extruder provides a sufficient degree of mixing while retaining distinction between the colours. The invention provides a method of dispensing a multicoloured ice confection product into a container in order to achieve a marbled effect, wherein a first stream of ice confection is introduced into a screw extruder and a second stream, having colour contrast with the first stream, is introduced into the extruder downstream of the first input and adjacent the outlet. SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION By marbled effect is meant that the swirl pattern achieved by the different coloured ice confections is not continuous, ie the swirl pattern is interrupted and there is some interface between the colours. The term ice confection includes for example ice cream, frozen yoghurts, milk ice and frozen custards. An embodiment of the invention will now be given to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of an extruder. Extruder barrel 1 was thermally insulated and mounted vertically. It had an internal diameter of 15 cm and an internal length of 80 cm. The axle 2 was rotated by means not shown at speeds between 5 and 50 tour min -1 and carried 4 pairs of paddles. Conduits 3 and 4 introduced streams of ice cream I and II into the extruder barrel. The total rate of introduction of I and II was 3600 litres hr -1 ; I was introduced at a rate between 1200 and 2400 litres hr -1 and II at a rate between 2400 and 1200 litres hr -1 . Stream II had a different colour and flavour to stream I and the paddle extruder operated to mix the two streams so they retained their separate characteristics. Thus the two streams were not intimately mixed to give an output with a single colour. The output stream was obtained from conduit 5 and received in plastic containers having both round and square areas. Volumes of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 litre were dispensed. Introduction of stream II considerably downstream of I, that is near the output conduit 5, produces a product which has an attractive marbled effect which is visible on the upper surface. The main colour being provided by stream I with stream II forming a swirl or spiral from the centre. Additional colours can be introduced in the swirl pattern by introducing other ice cream streams or sauces/syrups into the paddle extruder adjacent the outlet conduit.

Claims: A method of dispensing a multicoloured ice confection product into a container in order to achieve a marbled effect, wherein a first stream of ice confection is introduced into a paddle extruder and a second stream, having colour contrast with the first stream, is introduced into the extruder downstream of the first input and adjacent the outlet.

Inventors: DAHMS CLAUS-MARTIN, MORAW ERHARD F, SCHUBERT GUNTHER HORST, DAHMS, CLAUS-MARTIN, MORAW, ERHARD F., SCHUBERT, GUNTHER HORST
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC, UNILEVER N.V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A23G9
IPC codes: A23G9