Breyer's "Frozen Dessert?"

I just noticed that in small print near the bottom of the main face of my container's of Breyer's Neapolitan and French Vanilla flavors it says, unsurprisingly, "ice cream." In the same spot on the Fudge Twirl container it says "frozen dessert?" What might this quiet distinction betoken?

mrbarolo wrote:I just noticed that in small print near the bottom of the main face of my container's of Breyer's Neapolitan and French Vanilla flavors it says, unsurprisingly, "ice cream." In the same spot on the Fudge Twirl container it says "frozen dessert?" What might this quiet distinction betoken?

Almost certainly lower fat content. The FDA labeling rules require anything labelled "ice cream" to meet minimum fat & cream (or milk) content standards; if it doesn't it's got to be called "frozen dessert". I forget the fat threshold off the top of my head, but it can be found online.

Makes sense though it's surprising only in that it's not marketed as "low fat." I would have thought if it was under that fat threshold, then the absence of fat would be part of the point. I haven't checked, but aren't the various low-fat versions called "low-fat ice cream?" Don't recall that distinction. Have to take another look.

mrbarolo wrote:Makes sense though it's surprising only in that it's not marketed as "low fat." I would have thought if it was under that fat threshold, then the absence of fat would be part of the point. I haven't checked, but aren't the various low-fat versions called "low-fat ice cream?" Don't recall that distinction. Have to take another look.

"Low fat" ice cream is supposed to contain a maximum of 3 grams of total fat per serving (1/2 cup) - there's a whole bunch of gradations between that & "ice cream" which I think is supposed to have a minimum of 10 g per serving. "Light" ice cream is supposed to be 50% less fat that its "regular" equivalent, "frozen dessert" is the slot between "reduced fat" & "regular".