This cream can stay in shape for over 4 hours at room temperature.
This number is almost synonymous with creating an ice cream that does not melt. Photo: Tetra Images.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison research team recently invented a non-melting ice cream.
According to Cameron Wicks, a doctoral student in the university’s food science department, plant-derived compounds called polyphenols are the secret to keeping frozen food from melting and pooling. This compound slows down the melting process, which keeps the cold dish in a solid state for hours at room temperature.
“Normal ice cream melts into water very quickly. But adding polyphenols to the cream can help it stay in shape for more than 4 hours at room temperature. That’s almost synonymous with creating a cream that doesn’t melt,” Wicks said.
During his research, Wicks found that adding polyphenols to ice cream increased the consistency and viscosity of the ice cream. According to Wicks, this happens because polyphenols interact with fat and protein in ice cream. This causes the fat in the cream to clump together, leading to increased viscosity and slowing down the melting process.
“Polyphenols create a network between the fat and protein of the cream, which resists defrosting. In other words, polyphenols help the cream retain its shape, dripping less when left at room temperature,” the team said.
The effect of this compound is similar to that of stabilizers, which are used to maintain the quality and texture of ice cream, increasing its shelf life. But polyphenols will be natural, with fewer chemicals, Wicks said.
According to ZME Science, these are naturally occurring antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds found in fruits (such as berries, cherries, and apples), vegetables (spinach, carrots, red cabbage, and red onions), seeds (walnuts, almonds, and chia seeds), tea, and a variety of spices, including cinnamon and oregano.
This compound also offers a number of health benefits. They prevent the formation of blood clots, control blood sugar levels, eliminate harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract, enhance brain function, and can even prevent the growth of cancer cells.
As a result, polyphenols can become a healthier and more accessible alternative to regular cream stabilizers.
The team’s experiment with a variety of creams. Photo: ZME Science.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of polyphenols in ice cream, Wicks and his team also conducted an interesting experiment. They compared the melting of regular ice cream with a sample of ice cream containing different amounts of polyphenols.
They placed each sample of ice cream on a steel mesh, with holes in it. Below is a glass cup for liquid ice cream at room temperature. This cup is then placed on a scale to record changes in the weight of the ice cream sample. Here’s what the researchers found at the end of the experiment:
“Regular ice cream takes about 2 hours to completely melt and slip through the mesh. Meanwhile, polyphenol-rich cream can survive on the wire mesh for more than 4 hours. Only 10% of its total weight drips through the cup during this time,” Wicks told ZME Science.
They also found that polyphenols can keep ice cream smooth and soft over time by reducing the formation of ice crystals. This property can help maintain the quality of the ice cream for a longer period of time.
However, the researchers note that adding polyphenols can affect the flavor of the product, as many polyphenols have astringent properties, increasing the roughness of eating.
Therefore, you will have to wait a little longer to eat the ice cream that never melts. Wicks said more research is needed to find the exact amount of polyphenols, enough to keep ice cream stable without affecting its flavor. As a result, you can have a dessert that is less runny, more poured, but still delicious.
“Ice cream is a complex mixture. If you understand all the science behind an ice cream, you can create better, more sustainable dishes and a better food supply system for the world,” the scientist declared.