It’s pretty well-known that what we think of as “ice cream” in the United States isn’t really ice cream.
If you go to your local grocery store’s freezer section, you’ll notice that many of the packages that look like they contain ice cream don’t actually say so on the label. Instead, these packages will insist that their product is not ice cream but “frozen dairy dessert”—a distinction that allows them to fill the treat with vegetable oils and preservatives.
This does not necessarily mean that an “ice cream” will always taste better than a “frozen dairy dessert.” It simply means the products are different and behave differently under different circumstances, like warm temperatures.
Time and time again, the internet has been fascinated by the fact that, while many ice creams melt as expected, some frozen dairy dessert products don’t. In fact, they often look just about the same as they did right after they were taken out of the package, despite being left in direct sunlight.
Now, a man on the internet has sparked discussion after performing this test and coming to an interesting conclusion about what such tests say about the food we eat every day.
What Happened When These Two Desserts Melted?
In a video posted by TikTok user Joe (@sundownjoe), one can see an ice cream sandwich and a packaged ice cream cone. While the ice cream cone has melted, the ice cream sandwich looks relatively well-preserved.
“Two months now, man,” says a voice, looking at the frozen dessert products. The voice belongs to a TikTok user named Mr. Clarke Payne, whose video is being reacted to here. “No mold, no bugs are touching this—anything, dude.”
“If y’all are still eating this stuff right here, I would highly recommend cutting it out now,” Payne adds.
From here, another person appears on the screen. It is unclear if this is Joe, the poster of the video, as many of the videos on his account are taken from other creators.
“Yikes,” this person starts.
While he says that he’s not surprised that it did not melt, he is taken aback by the fact that bugs didn’t touch it. To him, this signalled something.
“Bugs won’t eat it—obviously it’s extremely toxic, filled with chemicals,” he states. “Bugs will eat anything that breaks down.”
“And if it doesn’t go moldy, that shows me that there’s so many preservatives in there that it’s basically inedible,” he continues.
It’s unclear who this person is or where this video was taken from—but is there any validity to his fears?
What You Should Know About Frozen Dairy Desserts
This man is making a few critical errors.
Assuming that Payne is telling the truth and that this dish really has been outside for two months, the fact that it has not “melted” does not mean that the product is inedible.
Many ice cream and frozen dairy dessert products contain stabilizers and emulsifiers like guar gum or calcium sulfate. These are FDA-approved and commonly used to retain shape and reduce melting speed—and, while some may have health concerns about these products, they are largely considered to be safe.
Even some products correctly labeled as ice cream can contain these preservatives and stabilizers, which explains why Great Value Ice Cream Sandwiches look the same after sitting outside in the sun.
What About the Bugs?
It is strange that Payne claims no bugs are touching the dessert. Provided he is telling the truth, this is also not an indication that anything is amiss health-wise.
First, mold and bacteria require moisture and the right environment to grow. It’s possible that the area where Payne is storing the product has dried it out and created an environment that does not promote mold growth.
As far as the bugs are concerned, it may be surprising that bugs are not eating the desserts. However, that is not a sign that they are dangerous for humans to consume. Bugs eat all sorts of foods that humans are generally discouraged from eating, and therefore cannot be used as an indicator for what is and is not safe for human consumption.
Much of this can simply be boiled down to the “appeal to nature fallacy.” This implies that only “natural” foods are good or safe, and that any “chemical” ingredients are inherently bad. This is even though many “natural” foods only exist as we know them today due to human interference. For example, bananas and peppers.
Are there health concerns about eating frozen dairy desserts? Of course, but that has more to do with the high sugar and fat content than the alleged preservatives. If one does not want to consume preservatives, that’s totally fine. However, their prepackaged dessert options in the United States will likely be severely limited. For everyone else, simply enjoying these treats in moderation is more than likely just fine.
@sundownjoe ♬ original sound – Joe
Commenters Weigh In
In the comments section, users debated about whether what was shown in the video was dangerous or just fine.
Some took the side that highly preserved and processed foods negatively impacted one’s health.
“Everything we eat is bad. Veggies, fruits, meats. They all have bad chemicals in them. Literally,” wrote a user. “I went to other countries to finally realized what real fresh food actually taste like.”
“It’s no longer food. It’s a product. There’s a difference,” declared another.
In contrast, others chastised the TikToker for being alarmist about the desserts.
“This is normal. Additives and chemical preservatives are included so the food won’t spoil,” noted a commenter.
“‘i dont understand something so it must be horrible,’” joked a second.
The Mary Sue reached out to Payne via email and Joe via TikTok direct message and comment.
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