PAC and POD in ice cream: what they are and how to use them in balancing

When formulating professional ice cream, knowing only the total amount of sugars is not enough.

Two recipes with the same percentage of sugars can indeed have completely different sweetness, consistency, and behavior at low temperatures.

To understand why, we need to introduce two fundamental parameters in ice cream balancing:

• POD – Sweetening Power;
• PAC – Anti-Freezing Power.

These values allow the ice cream maker to better predict how the combination of sugars will affect the final product.

What is POD in ice cream?

The POD expresses the relative contribution of an ingredient to the sweetness of the mixture.

In ice cream making, sucrose is normally used as a reference:

Sucrose = POD 100

Other sugars are then compared to this value.

For example, in the balancing system commonly used in ice cream making:

Dextrose monohydrate = POD 72

This means that, for the same weight, dextrose monohydrate contributes less to sweetness than sucrose.

What is PAC?

The PAC, or Anti-Freezing Power, is an empirical parameter used to estimate how much an ingredient contributes to the depression of the freezing point of the mixture.

Again, the traditional reference is sucrose:

Sucrose = PAC 100

For dextrose monohydrate, the following is commonly used:

Dextrose monohydrate = PAC 180

Dextrose therefore has a significantly higher anti-freezing effect compared to sucrose.

Why is PAC so important?

During the freezing of ice cream, only part of the water present in the mixture turns into ice.

Dissolved sugars lower the freezing point of water and therefore influence the amount of water that remains unfrozen at serving temperature.

In practical terms:

• a too low PAC can contribute to excessively hard ice cream;
• a too high PAC can contribute to ice cream that is too soft or difficult to freeze.

The PAC is therefore one of the main tools for controlling the spreadability and consistency of ice cream at low temperatures.

Why must PAC and POD be evaluated together?

Because by modifying a sugar, we can simultaneously change both the sweetness and the freezing behavior.

Imagine a recipe formulated mainly with sucrose.

The ice cream results in:

• correctly sweet;
• but too hard at serving temperature.

Simply adding more sucrose would increase the PAC, but it would also increase the sweetness.

One possible strategy is to replace part of the sucrose with a sugar characterized by higher PAC and lower POD, such as dextrose.

In this way, we can intervene on the softness without increasing the perception of sweetness in the same proportion.

A simple example: sucrose and dextrose

It is easy to understand why the two sugars are often used together.

It is not about determining which is "better," but about choosing the combination most suitable for the recipe's objective.

How is the POD of a recipe calculated?

The principle is simple.

Each sugar contributes to sweetness based on:

• of the amount used;
• of its POD value.

In simplified terms, the contribution of each ingredient can be calculated by multiplying the amount present in the mixture by its relative POD coefficient.

The contributions of the different sugars are then summed.

The result allows for comparing different recipes using a more precise criterion than the simple total percentage of sugars.

How is PAC calculated?

The logic is similar.

For each ingredient, the following is considered:

• the amount present in the recipe;
• the relative PAC value.

The sum of the contributions allows for an overall index useful for evaluating the behavior of the mixture during freezing.

It is important to remember that the PAC used in ice cream making is a practical formulation model: it does not replace the actual evaluation of the recipe, serving temperature, and production process.

Do all sugars have the same PAC?

No.

Their effect on the freezing point largely depends on the number of particles present in the solution.

Sugars made up of smaller molecules can generate, for the same weight, a greater colligative effect compared to carbohydrates with higher molecular weight.

This is one of the reasons why dextrose, sucrose, glucose syrups, and maltodextrins behave differently in ice cream.

PAC of maltodextrins

Maltodextrins consist of glucose chains of varying lengths.

Their average molecular weight is generally higher than that of simple sugars.

Consequently, for the same weight, they normally exert a lower antifreeze effect compared to dextrose.

However, the behavior depends on the DE of the maltodextrin.

A maltodextrin with a higher DE generally contains a greater proportion of smaller molecules compared to a low DE maltodextrin.

For this reason, it is not correct to automatically assign the same behavior to all maltodextrins.

PAC of glucose syrups

Even in glucose syrups, the DE – Dextrose Equivalent value is fundamental.

A syrup with a different DE presents a different distribution of:

• glucose;
• maltose;
• oligosaccharides;
• longer carbohydrate chains.

This influences both sweetness and antifreeze behavior.

For precise balancing, it is always preferable to know the technical characteristics of the syrup used.

Does the PAC alone determine the softness of the ice cream?

No.

It is a fundamental parameter, but the consistency of the ice cream also depends on:

• storage temperature;
• amount of water;
• total solids;
• fats;
• proteins;
• fibers;
• stabilizers;
• overrun;
• size of ice crystals;
• freezing process.

Two ice creams with similar PAC can therefore have different consistencies.

Is ice cream that is too hard always the fault of the PAC?

No, but the PAC is one of the first things to check.

An ice cream that is too hard may depend on:

• insufficient PAC;
• serving temperature too low;
• high amount of freezable water;
• too few solids;
• unbalanced formulation;
• too large ice crystals.

Correcting only the sugars without analyzing the rest of the recipe may not solve the problem.

Ice cream too soft: what to check?

If the ice cream remains excessively soft even at low temperatures, one possible cause is a PAC that is too high.

This can happen when excessive amounts of ingredients with a strong anti-freezing effect are used.

In this case, we need to review the distribution of sugars and check the entire balance.

Ice cream too sweet but still hard

It is one of the most interesting problems from a formulation perspective.

If an ice cream is simultaneously:

• too sweet;
• and too hard;

adding more sucrose would not be a good solution.

Instead, we need to modify the sugar profile, choosing ingredients that allow us to increase the PAC without excessively increasing the POD.

This is where the concept of balancing becomes more important than the simple total amount of sugars.

PAC and POD in sorbets

In sorbets, controlling sugars is particularly important because the mixture generally contains a high amount of water and does not have the same structure provided by fats and proteins in milk-based ice creams.

We must also consider the naturally occurring sugars in fruit.

A correct formulation must therefore include in the calculation:

• added sugars;
• fruit sugars;
• fruit water;
• natural solids;
• desired serving temperature.

PAC and POD in cream ice creams

In milk-based ice creams, we must also consider the lactose from milk and dairy products.

Lactose contributes to the formulation and cannot be ignored in the overall balance.

In addition to sugars, the following also come into play:

• fats;
• proteins;
• milk powder;
• fibers;
• stabilizers;
• emulsifiers.

Is there a perfect PAC?

No.

There is no universal value suitable for any ice cream.

The necessary PAC mainly depends on the temperature at which the product will be served and its composition.

An ice cream intended to be served at a specific temperature will require a different balance compared to a product stored or consumed under different conditions.

Is there a perfect POD?

Even in this case, no.

The desired sweetness depends on:

• type of taste;
• acidity;
• bitterness;
• aromaticity;
• consumption temperature;
• desired sensory profile.

A lemon sorbet and a dark chocolate gelato do not necessarily have to have the same level of perceived sweetness.

The true goal: to balance, not to chase a number

PAC and POD are extremely useful tools, but they should not turn formulation into a simple search for the “correct number.”

A professional recipe must find the balance between:

sweetness + softness + solids + water + structure + temperature + taste.

The numerical value must always be accompanied by practical testing and sensory evaluation.

SaporePuro ingredients for balancing

SaporePuro offers professional ingredients that allow for targeted intervention in gelato balancing, including:

• anhydrous dextrose;
• maltodextrins;
• glucose syrups and powders;
• inulin and fibers;
• stabilizers and professional neutrals.

Knowing the characteristics of each ingredient allows for its use for a specific function, rather than modifying the recipe by trial and error.

→ Discover the professional ingredients for SaporePuro gelato

Frequently asked questions about PAC and POD

What does POD mean in gelato?

POD indicates the relative sweetening power of an ingredient. Sucrose is normally used as a reference with a POD of 100.

What does PAC mean in gelato?

PAC empirically expresses the contribution of an ingredient to lowering the freezing point of the mixture.

What is the PAC of dextrose?

For anhydrous dextrose, a PAC of 180 is commonly used in gelato making.

What is the POD of dextrose?

For anhydrous dextrose, a POD of 72 is commonly used.

Does more PAC always mean better gelato?

No. Excessive PAC can make the gelato too soft. The value must be consistent with the serving temperature and the overall formulation.

Does PAC replace practical testing?

No. PAC and POD are formulation tools that help predict the behavior of the mixture, but the result must always be verified through production, storage, and tasting.

Can I balance gelato by only considering PAC and POD?

No. Water, solids, fats, proteins, fibers, stabilizers, and the production process must also be considered.

Do you want to truly learn how to control the consistency of gelato?

Understanding PAC and POD means starting to use sugars as formulation tools rather than just sweeteners.

Dextrose, sucrose, glucose, and maltodextrins have different characteristics: learning to combine them allows for the creation of more precise, balanced, and repeatable recipes.

→ Discover all the professional ingredients for SaporePuro gelato