A NEW ingredient has been discovered that can help prevent ice cream from melting.
A revolutionary frozen treat known as Kanazawa Ice, which currently retails in parts of Japan, is gaining notoriety for its non-messy properties.
It contains polyphenols extracted from strawberries, which work as an emulsifier and keep the ice cream from separating.
The Biotherapy Development Research Centre in Kanazawa, Japan discovered the ingredient when attempting to make a strawberry desert.
Japanese news reports claim that Kanazawa Ice keeps its shape and does not melt like traditional ice cream on hot days.
According to Mintel’s 2017 China Ice Cream report, over a third of consumers aged from 20-49 are interested in ice cream made using new technology. Those with children were revealed to be particularly keen on the idea.
It could also help companies to develop more novelty shapes and also improve the shelf-life of ice cream as it slows the formation of ice crystals.
This is not the first time that scientists have created a slow-melting ice cream. Two years ago, researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee discovered that a certain protein extracted from natto, a fermented Japanese soybean product, can also help stop ice cream from melting.
