# Why does my Ice Cream have trans-fats?



## PanchoHambre (Jan 22, 2009)

So I was looking at the ingredients on my WAWA ice-cream carton last night... and guess what... Partially Hydrogenated.....

ARGH! What is trans-fat doing here.... shortening is not in anyway a needed ingredient for ice cream (its not labeled as Ice-Shortening) Ice cream should have... cream, sugar, eggs (maybe) and flavoring....I understand commercial ice cream may need a preservative.... but shortening Gross. I like Wawa's ice cream too but wont be buying it again. This stuff is suppossedly banned in restaruants here but still lurking with no warning in ice cream...

This makes me mad for a few reasons

1) Wawa for those of you unfamiliar with NJ/PA is a generally high quality convienece store that started as a dairy company. Unlike other dirty nasty convienece stores they offer some healthier stuff like fruits and vegetables milk fresh eggs etc so I generally trust them to have a good product.

2) there is no reason for this they could easily eliminate it and I am surprised given all the attention to transfat lately they haven't and they haven't labeled it either.

3) you should not even be able to call it icecream if it contains shortening

4) icecream is unhealthy enough allready. I dont buy it often and when I do I am willing to accept the dairy fat but not shortening.

5) I really like thier icecream (it is very light icecream not rich like B&J or the fanicer stuff but for some reason I like it)...but will not buy it again

6) makes me wonder what other brands of icecream have this junk... I have to assume alot more

Sounds like time to dust off that icecream maker.


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## RobsanX (Jan 22, 2009)

I was going to try some Bryer's all natural ice cream, until I saw that it was $5.99 for 1.5 quarts. Not even a half gallon, sheesh! I've been making my own, and DW, the kids and I all love it...


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## ChefJune (Jan 22, 2009)

Pancho, I have no idea what the purpose of any kind of oil or shortening would be in ice cream.  However, if you read the ingredient list on almost any prepared food these days, you will see at least one ingredient that makes you scratch your head over why it might be there.  

Almost every food on the market contains at least one ingredient that you would never add if you were making a comparable dish at home.


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## Fearless Kitchen (Jan 22, 2009)

I suspect that the shortening substitutes for some or all of the eggs, if the product is light and not particularly rich.  I don't think I'd care to try making that substitution myself, but shortening is more shelf-stable than eggs or cream for that matter.


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## PanchoHambre (Jan 22, 2009)

Fearless Kitchen said:


> I suspect that the shortening substitutes for some or all of the eggs, if the product is light and not particularly rich.  I don't think I'd care to try making that substitution myself, but shortening is more shelf-stable than eggs or cream for that matter.



ugh good point. I guess this is why ice cream often  melts into nasty goop I know  I will  be reading the label  on ice cream from now on. I am  by no means a health nut but I hate when unnecessary nastiness is added.

IMHO  this should not be labeled as ice-cream... maybe "frozen dessert"


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