The capability to limit ice crystal size presents an interesting ice cream application opportunity for ISP. Most of the published research has been reported in patents covering frozen desserts made using ISP from a variety of sources. The patents show that low levels of ISP in ice cream can reduce ice crystal growth rate substantially and control the shape of ice crystals in ways that provide unique textural and structural characteristics.
Of the various sources, ISP derived from plants seems to be the most likely form to achieve consumer and regulatory acceptance. It also is the most easily recovered source. As a result, commercial application research tends to focus on plant-derived ISP.