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| - Last Updated on May 31, 2024 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
As per a post on Facebook, Breyers ice cream is no longer ice cream. We did the fact check to rate this claim as False.
The Claim
A viral Facebook post alleges that Breyers, the beloved ice cream brand, has undergone a drastic change in its legal classification. According to the claim, Breyers ice cream can no longer legally bear the title of “ice cream” and must now be labelled as “Frozen Dessert.” The post further suggests that this reclassification is due to Breyers ice cream containing 50% air and only a tiny amount of milk or cream.
Here is the screenshot of the post:
Fact Check
What is an ice cream, technically?
Before we analyse the claim, it’s important to understand what is the technical definition of an ice cream. According to regulatory standards set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ice cream must contain not less than 10% dairy fat and must have a percentage of overrun that results in a finished product weighing more than 4.5 pounds per gallon. These standards are in place to ensure that products labelled as ice cream meet certain quality and consistency criteria, providing consumers with a product that aligns with their expectations of what ice cream should be.
What is a frozen dairy dessert?
A frozen dairy dessert is a product including many of the same high-quality ingredients commonly found in ice cream, such as fresh milk, cream, and sugar. However, frozen dairy desserts usually have a lower dairy fat content compared to traditional ice cream. These desserts offer a similar taste and texture to ice cream but may contain less than 10% dairy fat. This is the threshold set by regulatory standards for products to be labelled as ice cream. Therefore, frozen dairy desserts provide an alternative option for consumers who may prefer or require a lower-fat dairy product.
Is Breyers ice cream no longer ice cream, legally?
No, Breyers ice cream is still legally an ice cream. Breyers continues to offer a diverse range of ice cream flavours alongside other products labelled as “frozen dairy dessert“. Some of Breyers products fall under the category of frozen dairy dessert due to containing less than 10% dairy fat. But, this does not negate the fact that Breyers still manufactures and sells traditional ice cream.
It’s important to note that the distinction between ice cream and frozen dairy dessert is not unique to Breyers. It’s a result of well-established FDA regulations governing how ice cream can be labelled. These regulations have been in place for some time and are not new as of summer 2024. Therefore, the claim that Breyers ice cream is no longer legally an ice cream is simply not true.
Breyers continues to adhere to FDA regulations, offering both traditional ice cream flavours and frozen dairy dessert products. The distinction between these products is based on their composition, particularly the dairy fat content.
Does Breyers use ethylene glycol in its products?
The post also claims that Breyers ice creams contain cellulose gum from wood pulp and ethylene glycol for smoothness. Cellulose gum (carboxymethyl cellulose) is derived from plant cell walls and used as a thickening agent. But, Breyers actually uses different thickeners: guar gum (from guar seeds), carob bean gum (from carob tree seeds), and tara gum (from tara spinosa seeds). The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavour, pictured in the post, uses all three gums. Breyers does not use ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in plastics and coolants, which is not FDA-approved for food or beverage use.
What does the FDA say regarding ice cream?
FDA regulations regarding ice cream are clear and stringent. According to these regulations, ice cream must contain not less than 10% dairy fat and must meet specific weight requirements per gallon. These standards are in place to ensure that products labelled as ice cream maintain a certain level of quality and consistency, providing consumers with a product that meets their expectations.
What does the FSSAI say regarding ice cream in India?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has laid down specific standards and conditions that ice cream must meet to ensure quality and safety for consumers. These regulate the composition and quality required for products to be classified as ice cream, medium-fat ice cream, or low-fat ice cream.
According to Regulation 5.1.7, the standards for ice cream and related products are as follows:
Ice cream is a frozen dairy product containing cow or buffalo milk, cream, and other milk products. It may include cane sugar, dextrose, glucose, maltodextrin, eggs, fruits, nuts, chocolate, flavours, and approved food colouring. Emulsifiers and stabilisers can be up to 0.5% by weight. It is important to heat the mixture before freezing. It must contain at least 36.0% total solids, 3.5% protein, and 10.0% milk fat. The maximum starch content allowed is 5.0%, as specified in Regulation 4.2.2.
Softy ice cream is made by freezing a pasteurised mixture of milk and/or milk-derived products. These products can contain sweeteners like sugar, fructose, maltodextrin, honey, fruit, eggs, coffee, cocoa, ginger, and nuts. The products can be of soft or hard consistency.
The major conditions set by the FSSAI for ice cream are as follows:
- No Artificial Sweeteners: Ice cream should not contain any artificial sweeteners.
- Pleasant Smell and Taste: Ice cream must have a pleasant smell and taste, free from off flavours and rancidity.
- Permitted Additives: Ice cream may contain permitted additives as per the FSSAI standards.
- Microbiological Standards: Ice cream must conform to microbiological load standards to ensure it is safe for consumption.
The FSSAI also specifies detailed compositional requirements for different types of ice cream:
In conclusion, the claim that Breyers ice cream is no longer an ice cream is false. Breyers continues to offer traditional ice cream flavours alongside other frozen dairy dessert products, with appropriate labelling based on their composition. These distinctions are in line with longstanding FDA regulations governing the labelling of ice cream products. Consumers can rest assured that they can still enjoy Breyers ice cream, knowing that it meets the necessary regulatory standards for quality and consistency. Therefore, it’s essential to scrutinise viral claims before accepting them as factual, ensuring that misinformation does not spread unchecked.
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