Effects of palmyra palm nectar, whipping cream, and sugar ratios on the quality of soft ice cream

This study evaluates the effects of different ratios of palmyra palm nectar, whipping cream, and sugar on the physical and sensory properties of soft ice cream. The formulation ratio significantly affected hardness, overrun, melting rate, and most sensory attributes (p < 0.05). Increasing palmyra palm nectar while reducing whipping cream increased hardness and melting rate but decreased overrun because the lower fat content was insufficient to stabilize air bubbles. The formulation containing palmyra palm nectar, whipping cream, and sugar at a ratio of 40:45:15 achieved the highest overrun (61.02%), together with appropriate hardness and melting characteristics. It also received the highest sensory scores for taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Therefore, the 40:45:15 formulation was identified as the most suitable for producing palmyra palm nectar-based soft ice cream with desirable physical and sensory quality.