Dairy Processing · Ice Cream Mix

Ice Cream Mix Production Unit

From dry powders and fresh cream to a cold, aged mix that is ready for the freezer, in one hygienic, automated line. Protrus designs, builds and commissions every step, from ingredient intake and fat melting to pasteurization, aging and CIP.

Get a Quote Explore the Unit

Protrus stainless steel ice cream mix processing system with batch tanks, homogenizer, pasteurizer and aging tanks

Complete mix processing system · mixing, homogenization, pasteurization and aging

Mix preparation

Powders dissolved, fat melted, every batch weighed

Pasteurization

Homogenized at 140–200 bar, held at 80–85 °C

Aging & flavoring

2–5 °C for 4–24 h, flavors dosed after aging

Utilities & CIP

Hot water, ice water, CIP and one PLC system

One Hygienic Line from Ingredient Intake to the Freezer

Every ice cream, gelato or sorbet starts as a liquid mix. Its quality is fixed long before freezing: how completely the powders dissolve, how fine the fat globules are, how well the mix is pasteurized and how long it rests at 2–5 °C (36–41 °F).

A Protrus ice cream mix production unit covers all of these steps, from ingredient intake and fat melting to homogenization, pasteurization, aging, flavoring and CIP, and delivers the mix to your continuous freezer or filling line.

A · Ingredient handling and mix preparation Steps 1–5

1Liquid intakeMilk, cream, water, syrups; flowmeter or load cells
2Fat meltingButter, AMF, vegetable fat at 45–60 °C (113–140 °F)
3Powder dissolvingHigh-shear mixer or vacuum; SMP, sugar, stabilizers
4Batch mixing tanks50–65 °C (122–149 °F), weighed recipe, 15–30 min
5FiltrationDuplex strainer, 0.5–1 mm mesh

B · Heat treatment, homogenization and cooling Steps 6–9

6PreheatingPlate HX, regeneration to 70–80 °C (158–176 °F)
7HomogenizationTwo-stage, 140–200 bar; 2nd stage 30–40 bar
8Pasteurization80–85 °C for 15–25 s, holding tube, flow diversion
9CoolingRegeneration + ice water to 2–5 °C (36–41 °F)
Option: UHT route135–140 °C (275–284 °F), 2–6 s; aseptic long-life liquid mix

C · Aging and flavoring Steps 10–12

10Aging tanks2–5 °C (36–41 °F), 4–24 h, slow agitation
11Flavor tanksColors, flavors, purées added after aging
12Mix transferLobe or centrifugal pump to freezer or filler
Fat crystallizes, proteins and stabilizers hydrate: smoother texture, better whipping and slower meltdown.

D · Downstream interface (freezing and forming) Fed by the mix unit

Continuous freezerDraw −5 to −6 °C (21–23 °F), overrun 60–120 %
InclusionsFruit, nuts, sauces; ingredient feeder
Filling / extrusionCups, cones, tubs, sticks, bulk
Hardening−35 to −40 °C air, core to −18 °C (0 °F)
Cold store≤ −25 °C (−13 °F), dispatch

E · Utilities, CIP and automation

Hot water / steamHeating, sterilizing

Ice water / glycolCooling, aging jackets

CIP unitCaustic, acid, hot water

Compressed airValves, pneumatics

PLC / SCADARecipes, batch records

Process flow of an ice cream mix production unit. A: mix preparation, B: heat treatment, C: aging and flavoring, D: downstream freezing interface (dashed), E: utilities and CIP. Values are typical ranges; final settings depend on recipe, capacity and local regulations. Select a stage to see its equipment.

Typical Ice Cream Mix Compositions

Fat, milk solids-not-fat (MSNF), sugars and stabilizers set the body, sweetness and meltdown of the finished product. One mix unit can run all of these recipes; the batch tanks, homogenizing pressure and aging time are adjusted per mix.

Premium Ice Cream

Stick Ice Cream

Ice Cream Cones

Gelato

Sorbet

Product	Fat %	MSNF %	Sugars %	Stab./emul. %	Total solids %
Premium ice cream	12–16	9–10	14–17	0.2–0.4	38–42
Standard ice cream	8–10	10–11	13–15	0.3–0.5	34–37
Frozen dessert (vegetable fat)	5–8	7–10	13–16	0.4–0.6	30–34
Gelato	4–9	8–11	16–22	0.3–0.5	32–38
Soft serve mix	3–10	10–12	13–16	0.3–0.5	28–34
Sorbet	0	0	25–32	0.3–0.5	28–35

Planning the freezing and forming side as well? See our ice cream production line, the recombined milk production line for powder-based bases and our CIP plant systems.

300–10,000 L/h

mix capacity (80–2,640 US gal/h)

80–85 °C

HTST pasteurization (176–185 °F)

2–5 °C

aging temperature, 4–24 h (36–41 °F)

Why Protrus

One supplier for mixing, heat treatment, aging, CIP, piping, automation and commissioning.
Recipe-driven PLC control: every batch is weighed, heated, homogenized and recorded automatically.
Modular skids: start with a compact unit and add aging tanks or a second mixing line later.

Stage A · Mix preparation

Ice Cream Mix Preparation

Dissolve every gram of powder, melt the fat gently and weigh each batch to the recipe.

Mix preparation brings together liquids (milk, cream, water, liquid sugar), fats (butter, anhydrous milk fat or vegetable fat) and dry ingredients (milk powder, whey powder, sugar, stabilizers, emulsifiers, cocoa). The goal is a lump-free, air-free blend at 50–65 °C (122–149 °F) with exactly the right composition, batch after batch.

Ice cream mix preparation line with powder hopper, high-shear mixer, batch tanks, pasteurizer and aging tanks

Powder hopper with high-shear mixer, batch tanks, pasteurizer and aging tanks.

Stick Ice Cream

Ice Cream Cones

45–60 °C

fat melting (113–140 °F)

50–65 °C

batch temperature (122–149 °F)

± 0.5 %

typical batch weighing accuracy

Mix Preparation Steps

Step	Operation	Typical conditions
1	Liquid intake	Milk, cream, water and liquid sugar dosed by mass flowmeter or tank load cells
2	Heating of the liquid base	To 40–50 °C (104–122 °F) before powders are added
3	Fat melting	Butter or vegetable fat melted at 45–60 °C (113–140 °F) and pumped to the batch tank
4	Powder dissolving	High-shear mixer or vacuum mixer; stabilizers pre-blended with sugar (1:5–1:10)
5	Batch mixing	15–30 min at 50–65 °C (122–149 °F) with agitator; sample for total solids
6	Filtration	Duplex strainer, 0.5–1 mm mesh, before the pasteurizer balance tank

Mix Preparation Highlights

High-shear mixer with recirculation: powders wetted in seconds, no lumps, minimal foam.
Fat melter with heated grid or jacket: butter blocks melt without scorching or free-oil separation.
Batch tanks of 500–10,000 L on load cells, jacketed, with scraper or propeller agitator.
Two batch tanks in alternation: one is mixed while the other feeds the pasteurizer, for continuous flow.

Key Machines for Mix Preparation

Powder hopper with high-shear mixer for ice cream mix preparation

Powder hopper and high-shear mixer

High-pressure homogenizer

Plate heat exchanger

Batch mixing tanks

Stage B · Heat treatment and homogenization

Ice Cream Mix Pasteurization and Homogenization

Safe, smooth and stable: the heart of the mix unit in one compact skid.

The mix leaves the batch tank, is preheated by regeneration and homogenized at 70–80 °C (158–176 °F). It is then held at 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) for 15–25 seconds, cooled back by the incoming mix and finished with ice water to 2–5 °C (36–41 °F). Homogenization makes fat globules small and uniform; heat treatment makes the mix safe and helps the proteins and stabilizers do their work.

Compact ice cream mix unit with fat melter, powder funnel, batch tanks, homogenizer and HTST pasteurizer

Compact mix unit: fat melter, powder funnel, batch tanks, homogenizer and HTST pasteurizer.

Premium Ice Cream

140–200 bar

1st stage (2,000–2,900 psi)

30–40 bar

2nd stage (435–580 psi)

75–90 %

heat recovery in the plate pasteurizer

Heat Treatment Options

Method	Conditions	Best for	Notes
Batch (vat)	69 °C (155 °F), 30 min	Small and artisanal plants	Simple; long cycle, more energy
HTST	80 °C (175 °F) 25 s or 83 °C (180 °F) 15 s	Most industrial mix units	Plate HX, holding tube, flow diversion valve
HHST	90–100 °C (194–212 °F), 1–5 s	Higher protein or long cold storage	Firmer body, slight cooked note
UHT	135–140 °C (275–284 °F), 2–6 s	Aseptic soft serve and liquid mix	Months of shelf life at ambient or chilled

Pasteurization and Homogenization Highlights

Pasteurizer with balance tank, feed pump, regeneration, heating, holding tube, cooling and flow diversion valve.
Two-stage homogenizer: lower pressure for high-fat recipes to avoid fat clusters and high viscosity.
Wide-gap plates or a tubular heater for mixes with high viscosity, cocoa or fibers.
Temperature recorder and automatic diversion keep every liter within the legal time and temperature.

Key Machines for Pasteurization and Homogenization

HTST plate pasteurizer skid for ice cream mix

Plate pasteurizer (HTST)

Two-stage homogenizer

Butter and fat melting tank

Complete stainless steel ice cream mix processing system

Complete mix processing system

Stage C · Aging and flavoring

Ice Cream Aging Tanks and Flavor Tanks

Time and cold turn a hot, fresh mix into a mature base that whips well and melts slowly.

During aging the fat crystallizes, emulsifiers move to the fat globule surface and stabilizers and proteins take up water. The mix becomes slightly more viscous and ready to hold air in the freezer. Aging tanks keep the mix at 2–5 °C (36–41 °F) for at least 4 hours, often overnight, with gentle agitation. Flavors, colors and fruit purées are then added in smaller flavor tanks just before freezing.

Mix skid with powder hopper and pasteurizer feeding a battery of eight aging tanks.

Gelato

Soft Serve Mix

≥ 4 h

minimum aging time

500–20,000 L

tank volume (130–5,300 US gal)

Ra ≤ 0.8 µm

product contact surface finish

Aging Tank Design Data

Parameter	Typical value
Volume	500–20,000 L (130–5,300 US gal), one tank per batch or per shift
Temperature	2–5 °C (36–41 °F), held by ice water (1 °C) or glycol in a dimple or channel jacket
Insulation	50–100 mm (2–4 in) mineral wool or PU foam with welded stainless cladding
Agitation	Slow anchor or propeller agitator, 20–60 rpm with frequency drive, no air intake
Instruments	PT100, level by load cells or pressure transmitter, low-level switch for pump protection
Hygiene	AISI 316L product contact, CIP spray balls, sloped bottom, sanitary outlet valve

Aging and Flavor Tank Highlights

Number of tanks sized so one is filling, several are aging and one feeds the freezer at all times.
Valve manifold or swing-bend panel routes any aging tank to any flavor tank or freezer.
Flavor tanks of 200–2,000 L with dosing of colors, flavors, purées and sauces by weight.
Positive displacement lobe pumps transfer the viscous mix without shear or air pick-up.

Key Machines for Aging and Flavoring

Battery of jacketed ice cream mix aging tanks

Aging tank battery

Insulated aging tanks

Automatic CIP unit

Ice cream mix line with eight aging tanks and transfer piping to the freezers

Mix transfer to freezers

Stage E · Utilities, CIP and automation

Ice Cream Mix Plant Design, Utilities and CIP

A complete plant is more than its machines: layout, utilities, cleaning and control decide daily performance.

Protrus designs the mix room around the product mix and the shift pattern. We size batch tanks, pasteurizer, homogenizer and aging volume from your recipes, then add hot water or steam, ice water or glycol, compressed air, CIP and one PLC/SCADA system. Units are pre-assembled and tested on skids, so installation and commissioning on site are short.

3D ice cream mix plant layout with boiler, ice water chiller, mix unit, aging tanks and pipe bridges

3D plant layout: boiler and hot water, ice water chiller, mix unit, aging tanks and pipe bridges.

Sorbet

25–35 %

fruit purée or juice in the sorbet mix

Flavor tank

fruit aroma and purée dosed into the aged mix

20–40 %

overrun, lower than dairy ice cream

Typical Unit Sizes

Unit size	Mix capacity	Batch tanks	Aging tanks	Typical use
Compact	300–1,000 L/h	2 × 500–1,000 L	2–4 × 1,000–3,000 L	Artisanal, gelato, soft serve mix
Medium	1,000–3,000 L/h	2 × 1,500–3,000 L	4–8 × 3,000–8,000 L	Regional ice cream brands
Industrial	3,000–10,000 L/h	2–3 × 5,000–10,000 L	8–16 × 10,000–20,000 L	Multi-freezer factories
Liquid mix (UHT)	1,000–5,000 L/h	2 × 2,000–5,000 L	Aseptic tank	Soft serve and shake mix

Plant Design Highlights

Hygienic design: AISI 316L product contact, orbital-welded piping, drainable lines, EHEDG and 3-A principles.
CIP circuits for mixing, pasteurizer and tanks with temperature, conductivity and flow verification.
Energy: 75–90 % heat recovery, heat pump or ice bank options for ice water, insulated piping.
Automation: recipe management, ingredient traceability, batch reports and remote service access.

Key Machines for Utilities and CIP

CIP unit

Compact hot water generation skid with steam valve and plate heater

Hot water skid

Valve manifold

Complete ice cream mix line with batch tanks, pasteurizer, aging tanks and CIP unit

Complete mix line with CIP unit

Frequently Asked Questions About Ice Cream Mix Production

Have a question about your recipe or capacity? Ask our process engineers.

It is the process equipment that prepares, pasteurizes, homogenizes, cools and ages the liquid ice cream mix before it is frozen. It usually includes powder mixing, fat melting, batch tanks, a homogenizer, a plate pasteurizer, aging tanks and a CIP system.

Usually at 40–60 °C (104–140 °F). Warm water or milk wets the powder quickly while proteins are not yet heat-damaged.

Yes. With milk powder, anhydrous milk fat or vegetable fat and water, the same unit produces a recombined mix; only the fat melter and powder handling capacity are sized differently.

Both layouts exist. Most HTST mix units homogenize after preheating, at 70–80 °C and upstream of the holding tube, so the holding step also covers the homogenizer. Homogenizing after the holding tube needs an aseptic homogenizer.

Typically 140–200 bar (2,000–2,900 psi) in the first stage and 30–40 bar (435–580 psi) in the second. Higher fat mixes use the lower end of the range.

So the fat can crystallize and the stabilizers and proteins can hydrate. Aged mix whips better, holds air more stably and gives a smoother ice cream with a slower meltdown.

A compact skid unit fits in about 40–80 m² (430–860 sq ft) including aging tanks. Industrial plants are laid out case by case.

Protrus focuses on the mix unit, utilities and CIP and integrates continuous freezers, ingredient feeders and fillers from your preferred supplier into one control concept.

Get a Quote

Planning an Ice Cream Mix Plant?

Send us your recipes, target capacity and product range. Our process engineers will size the mixing, heat treatment, aging and CIP equipment and return a layout, a utility list and a budget offer.

Recipes and mix compositions
Target mix capacity in L/h
Product range: ice cream, gelato, sorbet or soft serve
Freezers and fillers to be connected

Get a Quote

Prefer email? info@protrus.com

Contact Form

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to submit the form.kadence-form-4560_0a7f88-19 .kadence-blocks-form-field.kb-submit-field { display: none; }