Ice cream is amazing during hot summer afternoons. Problem is, you’ll also need to eat it amazingly fast, lest be forced to watch your sweet frozen treat turn into a milky slush. That could change soon with the discovery of a new protein called BsIA that makes ice cream more resistant to melting.
In a study conducted by a joint team from the University of Dundee and the University of Edinburgh, researchers have discovered a naturally-occurring protein that will allow it to better withstand warm temperatures. As such, it can melt at a far slower pace than ice cream normally does, ensuring you can enjoy every lick, nibble, or spoonful you plan to partake in.
When added to ice cream, BsIA binds together the air, fat, and water in ice cream (it adheres to the fat droplets and air bubbles), making them more stable in a mixture. This enables the ice cream’s slow-melting quality, all while giving it an even smoother consistency. Aside from the obvious benefits of melt-resistant rocky road (longer eating times, lower power requirements during storage), the protein can also help prevent the formation of ice crystals, giving ice cream a smoother, finer texture.
Along with the discovery, the group has also come up with a method for developing the protein in friendly bacteria, which they’re now looking to scale up for possible mass-production. According to the team, they expect ice cream containing the protein to be in the market within the next three to five years.
So, yay, we can finally enjoy our slow-melting ice cream come 2020. Hit the link below to learn more.