The different forms (liquid, concentrated, frozen, dried) of milk fat a-nd milk solids (non fat) that are used as ingredients in dairy products. These include: milk, skim milk, partially skim milk, evaporated or condensed whole milk, evaporated or condensed partially skim milk, evaporated or condensed skim milk, dried whole milk, dried partially skim milk, dried skim milk, cream, butter, butter-oil, anhydrous butter-oil (99.9% milk fat). The chemical state of these products a-nd their components are the same as those found in milk.

The sources of milk fat include milk, cream, a-nd butter. Milk fat can provides creaminess a-nd richness to ice cream a-nd contributes to its melting c-haracteristics. The minimum fat content is 10% a-nd premium ice creams can contain as much as 16% milk fat.

The sources of nonfat solids include milk, cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, dry milk, a-nd whey. The total milk solids component of ice cream includes both the fat a-nd other solids. The other milk solids consists of the protein a-nd lactose in milk a-nd ranges from 9% to 12% in ice cream. The nonfat solids play an important role in the body a-nd texture of ice cream by stabilizing the air that is incorporated during the freezing process.