A machine for producing food mixtures in general, in particular soft ice-cream, provides a container (10) for preparing and conserving a liquid or semi-liquid mixture from which the ice-cream is obtainable, a cylinder (20) for processing the ice-cream and dispensing the ice-cream in preset doses, a stirrer (21) for moving the product inside the cylinder (20), a refrigerating circuit (CF), associated with the cylinder (20), in which a refrigerating fluid flows that performs a heat exchange with the cylinder (20) between an inlet and outlet for cooling the cylinder (20), a pump (11) for transferring the liquid or semi-liquid mixture from the first (10) to the second (20) container； to avoid freezing of the product on the walls of the cylinder (20) a sensor (S) is provided for detecting the temperature of the refrigerating fluid exiting the cylinder (20) and a command and control unit (U) that activates or deactivates the stirrer (21) and refrigerating circuit (CF) according to the temperature of the refrigerating fluid detected exiting the cylinder (20).
