Artisanl icecream Hervé corvitto what stabilisers is he using

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Zenobia.

Thank you for your question! It’s a great observation, and I’m glad to see your interest in understanding the formulation more deeply.

In ice cream making, when we refer to a “neutral” (or neutro), we mean a blend of stabilizers and emulsifiers specifically designed to provide stability, smooth texture, and creaminess to the ice cream. The term “neutral” is used because it has no flavor—it doesn’t alter the taste of the final product—making it very versatile.

What does a “neutral” contain?

A typical neutral includes combinations of:

• Stabilizers like guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, or alginates

• Emulsifiers such as mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, lecithin, polysorbate 80, etc.

These ingredients help to:

• Improve structure and creaminess

• Prevent ice crystal formation

• Increase stability during storage

• Enhance air incorporation (overrun) during churning

Which type of neutral is used for which kind of ice cream?

• For cream-based ice creams (with dairy and fat), neutrals for cream are used, typically with a higher proportion of emulsifiers.

• For sorbets or water-based ices, neutrals for fruit ices are preferred, with a higher content of stabilizers to support texture without fat.

Why doesn’t the chef specify a brand or type?

The recipe refers to “neutral emulsifier” because this ingredient already contains both stabilizers and emulsifiers in the appropriate ratio for cream-based ice creams (such as this chocolate recipe with egg yolk and couverture fat).

A specific brand isn’t mentioned because various commercial formulations can be used, such as:

• Super Neutro (Fabbri)

• Neutro 5 or Neutro 6 (Pregel)

• Stab 2000 (Sosa)

• Or custom blends depending on the lab or supplier

The key is to follow the recommended dosage in the recipe (in this case, 4 g per kg of mix) and to make sure you’re using a neutral suited for cream-based ice cream, since this recipe includes fat, sugars, and milk solids.

I hope this information is helpful!
Best regards.