Gelato Bases and Stabilisers: A Practical Guide for Professionals

A gelato base is a balanced blend of milk solids, sugars, fibres and a measured amount of stabiliser and emulsifier that gives the mix its structure and body; a stabiliser, sold as a neutro, is the concentrated stabiliser-and-emulsifier blend on its own. A complete base is dosed at a higher percentage and already carries the sugars and milk solids, while a neutro is dosed in small amounts and leaves you to build the rest of the recipe.

Behind every smooth, scoopable gelato is a well-chosen base and the right stabiliser. They are the least glamorous ingredients on the bench — and the ones that most decide whether your gelato stays creamy or turns icy in the display. This guide explains what gelato bases and stabilisers actually do, the difference between a complete base and a neutro, how milk and fruit bases differ, and how to choose the right one for what you make.

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What is a gelato base?

A gelato base is a balanced blend that gives your mix its structure and body. Depending on the type, it combines milk solids, sugars such as dextrose, fibres, and a measured amount of stabiliser and emulsifier. The base is what turns milk, cream and flavour into a mix that churns smoothly, holds small ice crystals, and scoops cleanly straight from the cabinet. Bases come in two broad families — hot-process bases you pasteurise with the mix, and cold-process bases you can blend without cooking — and in different strengths, from complete all-in-one bases to light structuring bases.

What is a stabiliser or neutro?

A stabiliser — often sold as a neutro — is a concentrated blend of stabilisers and emulsifiers such as guar gum, carrageenan, and mono- and diglycerides. Its job is to bind free water, keep ice crystals small, improve body and mouthfeel, slow melting, and extend how long the gelato holds its texture in the display. Because it is concentrated, you dose a neutro in small amounts and build the rest of the recipe — milk, sugars and flavour — yourself.

Base or neutro — which do you need?

This is the distinction that trips people up. A complete gelato base already contains the sugars, milk solids and stabiliser you need, so you dose it at a higher percentage and add fewer other ingredients — simpler and more consistent, and ideal for busy kitchens or training. A neutro is stabiliser-only: you dose a tiny amount and control the sugars, milk and solids yourself — more flexible, and better for chefs who want to fine-tune every recipe. Many kitchens keep both: a complete base for the everyday menu and a neutro for signature recipes.

Refreshing duo of creamy vanilla ice cream and vibrant strawberry sorbet, garnished with fresh berries and mint leaves, ready to enjoy on a sunny day.

Milk bases vs fruit bases

Bases also split by what they are built for. A milk (or white) base is for dairy gelato — it carries the milk solids and stabiliser that give classic gelato its creamy body. A fruit base is milk-free and built for sorbet and fruit gelato, where there is no dairy to do that work, so the base manages sweetness, texture and freezing from fruit and water alone. If you have searched for fruity bases for milk, what you usually want is a fruit-friendly base or fruit neutro that keeps fruit-and-milk recipes smooth. Amrichi stocks both milk and fruit versions so you can match the base to the recipe.

The bases and stabilisers Amrichi stocks

Complete gelato bases. Fibragel 100 is a fibre-enriched complete base — we cover it in depth in our full guide to Fibragel 100. Totalbase is a universal base that works across gelato and ice cream, Diamant 50 is a balanced everyday gelato base, and Base Allegra is an alcohol-free structuring base for softer, spoon-ready textures.

Sorbet and fruit bases. Fruttosa is a sorbet base for smooth, scoopable fruit sorbets, and the milk-free Fruit Base is built for dairy-free sorbet and fruit gelato.

Neutros and stabilisers. Neutro, SuperNeutro Milk and SuperNeutro Fruit are stabiliser blends for milk and fruit recipes; Setagel–Vellutina gives a silky, velvety body; and the fibre-based Fibraplus and Inulin add body and a cleaner label.

How to choose the right base

Work through four questions. Hot or cold process? Match the base to your equipment and workflow. Complete base or neutro? Choose a complete base for simplicity and consistency, or a neutro for control. Milk or fruit? Use a milk base for dairy gelato and a fruit base for sorbet. Universal or specialised? A universal base like Totalbase covers a broad menu, while specialised bases fine-tune a specific texture. When in doubt, ask your supplier for the dosage and process that suit your recipe.

Getting the best from your base

Measure precisely — bases and neutros work at specific percentages, and guessing shows up as iciness or gumminess. Blend thoroughly so the base disperses evenly with no lumps. Age (ripen) the mix where the recipe calls for it, usually a few hours cold, to let the stabilisers hydrate. Control temperature through pasteurising, churning and storage. And keep bases sealed and dry, away from heat and moisture.

Where to buy gelato bases and stabilisers in Malaysia

Amrichi supplies professional gelato and pastry bases and stabilisers to cafés, gelaterias, bakeries and F&B businesses across Malaysia and Singapore. Browse the full range on our gelato & pastry bases page, or get in touch and we will help you match the right base and dosage to your recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What does a gelato base do?

A. A base gives gelato its structure and body — it supplies milk solids, sugars and stabiliser so the mix churns smoothly, keeps ice crystals small, and scoops cleanly.

Q. What is the difference between a gelato base and a stabiliser (neutro)?

A. A complete base contains sugars, milk solids and stabiliser and is dosed at a higher percentage; a neutro is stabiliser-only, dosed in small amounts while you control the rest of the recipe.

Q. Do I need both a milk base and a fruit base?

A. If you make both dairy gelato and sorbet, yes — a milk base carries dairy recipes, while a milk-free fruit base handles sorbet and fruit gelato.

For more answers, see our gelato ingredients FAQ.