ICE-CREAM AND ICES 645 



ingredients entering into ice-cream mixtures, and urges that these 

 ingredients be properly pasteurized. Furthermore, the author de- 

 mands that ice-cream be manufactured under rigid and adequate 

 official supervision. 



Of course, it is conceivable that any of the infections which 

 are known to be transmitted occasionally through milk may also 

 be disseminated through ice-cream. It is probable that patho- 

 genic bacteria gradually die in ice-cream, although there are no 

 reliable data on the subject available. However, ice-cream is 

 usually consumed within a few days after manufacture, so the 

 disease germs have a chance to smrvive long enough to cause 

 infection. 



Poisoning from ice-cream has been sometimes reported. In 

 most cases the actual cause has not been determined conclusively. 

 It is sometimes assumed that poisons in the cream are formed by 

 bacterial decomposition. More likely seems the supposition that 

 bacteria of the Bacillus enteritidis group are the real offenders. 

 In some cases bacteria which have proved infectious and fatal to 

 guinea-pigs have been isolated from suspected ice-cream. Such 

 evidence is not final, and it is desirable that thorough investiga- 

 tions of so-called ice-cream poisoning be made. 



Governmental supervision of ice-cream is important and as 

 necessary as control of other food articles, chiefly because ice- 

 cream is consumed in the raw state, and legal definition of what 

 constitutes ice-cream is desirable. 



The United States pure food law recognizes three classes of 

 ice-cream, as follows: 



"1. Ice-cream is a frozen product made from cream and sugar, 

 with or without a natural flavoring, and contains not less than 

 14 per cent, of milk-fat. 



"2. Fruit ice-cream is a frozen product made from cream, 

 sugar, and sound, clean, mature fruits, and contains not less than 

 12 per cent, of milk-fat. 



"3. Nut ice-cream is a frozen product made from cream, sugar, 

 and sound, non-rancid nuts, and contains not less than 12 per 

 cent, milk-fat." 



The demands of governmental regulations suffer from a lack of 

 uniformity in the same sense that those of milk regulations suffer. 

 For example, the Illinois State Food Standard Commission defines 

 ice-cream as foUows: "Ice-cream is a frozen substance, made from 

 cream, or milk and cream, and sugar, with or without the addi- 

 tion of such other wholesome substances as have customarily^ 



1 The following other substances have customarily been used in making 

 ice-cream: eggs, flours, starches, butter, gelatin, flavoring, harmless colors, 

 nuts, fruits, pastries, and condensed milk. 



