The science of ice cream
Chris Clarke
Cambridge: RSC 2004 | Pp204 | £24.95 | ISBN0 854 04629 1
Reviewed by Eric Dickinson

Surveys of food preferences invariably indicate that consumers have a strong liking for ice cream, and children especially so. It seems like a promising idea, therefore, to attempt to promote interest in chemistry and physics by focusing attention on a food product that is so popular with young people, and moreover one that is constantly advertised as being associated with a pleasurable and colourful lifestyle. Indeed, from looking at the front cover of this book, one might be forgiven for thinking that the product's variety of rainbow colours is its main characteristic - rather than its flavour, smoothness or freshness. 

It is a pleasure to read this book. The text is well written and it has an air of authority. There is good balance between science and technology, between theory and practice, and between laboratory and factory. Potentially difficult concepts such as Ostwald ripening and disproportionation are explained with clarity and brevity. A feature of the book I particularly like is the collection of experiments suitable for the classroom or kitchen. The book also has a good subject index, though I was somewhat surprised to find no entry for creamy (or creaminess) - after all, the stuff is called ice cream. 

While the presented science is inevitably simplified, the underlying message remains essentially correct. I only noted a few minor errors (eg the statement on page 40 that 'albumen' is a type of whey protein). The book does have a clear Unilever bias in terms of product examples, but I suppose this is inevitable given the author's affiliation. The pictures and diagrams are quite functional, but without being impressive or inspirational. Another slight deficiency, in my opinion, is that the bibliography is too brief. An opportunity has been lost to direct interested readers to many other relevant and interesting sources. 

This book is undoubtedly suitable for A-level science students or undergraduates on food science/technology courses. I would also recommend this as a readable and highly accessible background resource for science teachers and lecturers wanting to introduce everyday illustrations of basic concepts and phenomena into their chemistry classes.