Ice Cream Overrun Calculator

Work out ice cream overrun instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Ice Cream Overrun Calculator

Overrun is the air incorporated during freezing, measured as (mix weight - frozen weight) / frozen weight x 100 for the same container volume. Economy ice cream runs 100-120% overrun, premium 20-50% and gelato 20-35%. It is the single largest lever on cost per litre sold.

Formulas

Overrun

Overrun % = (weight of mix - weight of frozen product) x 100 / weight of frozen product, at equal volume

Yield

Output volume = mix volume x (1 + overrun / 100)

Worked example

With the default values below, Ice Cream Overrun Calculator returns Overrun of 81.818%. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Weight Of Mix In A Containerminimum 0 g: 1,000 g
Weight Of Frozen Product In Same Containerminimum 0 g: 550 g
Target Overrunaccepts 0–200 %: 100 %
Mix Volume Processedminimum 0 L: 100 L

Results

Overrun: 81.818%
Output Volume At Measured Overrun: 181.818
Container Weight At Target Overrun: 500.00
Yield At Target Overrun: 200.000

Step by step

1Values used
2Overrun
3Yield
4Overrun= 81.818
5Output Volume At Measured Overrun= 181.818
6Container Weight At Target Overrun= 500.00
7Yield At Target Overrun= 200.000

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Ice cream sold by volume must meet minimum weight per litre requirements in most jurisdictions. Verify against the applicable food standard.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Ice cream sold by volume must meet minimum weight per litre requirements in most jurisdictions. Verify against the applicable food standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is high overrun always cheap and poor?

High overrun lowers cost per litre and gives a lighter texture, but too much makes the product foamy and fast-melting. Legal minimum weight per litre limits how far it can go.

What controls overrun?

Freezer dasher speed, mix flow rate, air injection rate, mix viscosity and fat content. Emulsifier and stabiliser levels determine how well the air is held.