Frozen Custard: A Midwest Favorite That Requires Precision in Production
Leave a CommentFrozen custard isn’t just a dessert—it’s a Midwest tradition. Creamy, rich, and silky smooth, it wins fans over summer after summer. But behind every perfect scoop is a careful production process that ensures both flavor and food safety.
One key step? Pasteurization. And for frozen custard, that means using the right sanitary equipment—like heat exchangers designed to 3-A Sanitary Standards—to meet regulatory standards and deliver a consistently high-quality product.
What Makes Frozen Custard Different?
Frozen custard may look a lot like ice cream, but its recipe sets it apart. Along with cream and sugar, it contains egg yolks, which give it a denser texture and richer flavor.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
- A product must contain at least 1.4% egg yolk solids by weight to be labeled as frozen custard.
- If bulky mix-ins are added, that percentage can adjust slightly—but once it dips below 1.12%, it no longer meets the official definition (even if it still tastes amazing).
Why Proper Pasteurization Matters
Like any dairy product containing eggs, frozen custard needs careful pasteurization to keep it safe for consumption.
Because custard is thicker than milk (thanks to its higher fat, milk solids, and sugar content), it requires higher pasteurization temperatures and longer hold times. The Journal of Dairy Science recommends pasteurizing frozen custard at 180°F for 15 minutes.
This extra step isn’t just for safety—it also ensures a smooth, uniform texture. After pasteurization, the mixture is typically:
- Homogenized at 2,500–3,000 psi to evenly distribute fats and emulsifiers.
- Aged for at least four hours at 40°F to develop flavor and improve body.
- Flavored and frozen—often right at the shop, where specialized machines continuously freeze and mix the custard before serving.
Sanitary Equipment is Essential
For producers, maintaining clean, efficient heat exchangers is non-negotiable. Custard mixtures can leave behind residues that, if not properly cleaned, may allow Bacillus cereus spores to persist. These can cause foodborne illness if they make their way into the finished product.
A well-designed Clean-in-Place (CIP) process helps keep operations sanitary. A typical CIP cycle may include:
- Pre-rinse (about 6 minutes)
- NaOH rinse (10 minutes)
- Intermediate rinse (6 minutes)
- HNO₃ rinse (10 minutes)
- Final rinse (6 minutes)
Routine cleaning not only prevents contamination but also extends the life of your equipment.
Bringing It All Together
Whether you’re producing frozen custard for a single shop or a large-scale distribution, the right pasteurization equipment makes all the difference. Enerquip’s sanitary shell and tube heat exchangers are designed to meet regulatory standards, streamline cleaning, and keep every batch consistent.
Ready to learn more about equipment options for your custard operation? Our engineers are here to help you choose a solution that keeps quality high—and customers coming back for more. Contact us.
More from the Enerquip Blog
- How to Store Your Process Equipment Before Installation
- What You Need to Know About Cleaning Different Tube Configurations
- TEMA Types Explained
- How Almost Any Industry Can Benefit from Waste Heat Recovery
- How Food Safety Regulations Shape Equipment Decisions in Animal Food Manufacturing
- How Evaporation Equipment Powers Food, Pharma, Energy & More