What are the little white dots on an ice cream scooper?

The white dots on an ice cream scooper are part of a process called "dimple oxidation". They are not harmful to the scoop or to anyone who eats ice cream from it. When the scoop is created through a casting process, small holes can form in the metal at the point of contact between the die and the metal being cast. These holes are so small that they can’t be cleaned up by any physical process. In order to prevent corrosion, the holes are passivated through an oxidation process that causes them to form a protective layer of chromium oxide. The white dots are the areas where the oxidation process has taken place.