Precipitation can be brought about in as little as 24 hours using rapid freezing, thawing, and filtering. Packing is in glass bottles or specially enameled cans. Ion exchange and cold stabilization facilitate precipitation of the crystals to improve flavor and maintain clarity. The ice crystals give the frozen dessert its hardness. In sherbets the amount of sugar is very high to counteract the acid which serves to lower temperature at which the crystals form.
Sugar also acts as an interfering agent to help keep the crystal size small.
Constant vigorous agitation during freezing also helps to keep crystal size small. Addition of non-fat milk solids provides another interfering agent producing small crystals and a finer product. If nonfat milk solids are used they increase the product's viscosity and favor the incorporation of air bubbles as the mix is agitated during freezing. The fruit juice causes milk solids to thicken and thus interfere with the development of large crystals. Additionally, if cold and concentrated enough the lactose may crystallize out of solution.