Technology sparks changes in Penn State ice cream course

University Park, Pa. -- No one likes to tinker with success, but several changes were made for Penn State's latest ice cream short course, going on this week at the Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus.

The course is the oldest, best-known and largest educational program dedicated to the science and technology of ice cream making, and also is believed to be the first continuing education course in the United States. Therefore, says course director Bob Roberts, changes are few and infrequent.

"I began directing the course in 1999, and I haven't made any substantial changes until now," says Roberts, assistant professor of food science. "When you have a course with 112 years of history, you don't make changes pell-mell. But this year we're responding to suggestions from recent past participants in shortening the course to seven days."

Cutting down from 10 days accommodates the many ice cream manufacturing representatives who found it hard to take so much time away from families and jobs. But the course isn't easier. Condensing the material makes it a little tougher, but maintains the professionalism and quality for which the course is known, Roberts says.

The course includes sessions on ingredients and manufacturing processes, flavor selection and mixing, freezing/hardening and storage. Sessions cover microbiology and quality aspects, cleaning and sanitation and nutrition and additives. Lab demonstrations address sensory evaluation of ice cream and computer assisted formulation.

The short course also addresses some of the hotter trends in ice cream: the sudden popularity of no-sugar-added formulations and results of ongoing Penn State research into the use of omega-3 oil emulsions as "heart-healthy" additives for the prevention of coronary heart and artery disease. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oils, must be stabilized so that the ice cream doesn't taste fishy.

"This course is not for the hobbyist, but for people who are in the ice cream industry in a large, industrial kind of way," Roberts says. "It teaches the fundamentals and nuances of commercial ice cream manufacture, including production, quality control and research and development trends. We cover everything from the cow to the cone.

"For people looking to indulge their love of ice cream and get a less-intense overview, we developed 'Ice Cream 101: Introduction to Frozen Desserts.' It's a two-day seminar for people considering beginning ice cream making, and it follows the ice cream short course at the University Park campus Jan. 17-18. It's the first time we've ever offered it, and we hope it attracts the many people who love ice cream and are looking to learn more about it."

Registration for the annual ice cream short course is limited and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, either online or by mail. For registration information, contact the Office of Conferences and Short Courses by phone at 814-865-8301 or toll-free at 877-778-2937 or by e-mail at shortcourse@psu.edu. For program information and credit card online registration, visit the Web at http://conferences.cas.psu.edu