PCA Researchers Develop Groundbreaking Coconut Milk-Based Ice Cream that Replaces Dairy Fat

The Albay Research Center of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has unveiled here a coconut ice cream formulation that used coconut milk both as a primary fat source and as the base for a natural stabilizer, replacing traditional dairy fat.

During the Department of Science and Technology - Technology Application and Promotion Institute’s (DOST-TAPI) visit to the Albay Research Center on Thursday last week, the product’s Senior Science Research Specialist, Evan Titus Labrador, told the Manila Times that while the product was not vegan due to its partial dairy content, coconut remained the dominant fat source, making up about 20 percent of the formulation.

Developed over the past five years by PCA food technologists, the product was originally funded under a PCA research project and later refined in collaboration with local ice cream producer First Colonial Grill, the producer of the local delicacy sili ice cream.  The coconut-based stabilizer prevents ice crystals from forming, ensuring the ice cream retains its silky texture even after repeated freezing and thawing. This addresses a common drawback of many frozen desserts, which tend to become grainy after storage and crystallize when refrigerated.