It's really no fun having melting ice cream dribble down your fingers during hot weather before you can enjoy eating your sweet treat. Now thanks to several scientists in Scotland, a protein has been discovered that can be used in ice cream to reduce melting times.
Professor Cait MacPhee was one of the individuals working on the project helping the team to uncover a natural protein, called BsIA, that can slow the speed of melting as well as reduce the amount of calories and saturated fats in sweet frozen treats. The protein also stops ice cream from getting freezer burn and binds the water, fat and air in the ice cream properly bind together.
MacPhee described to BBC the product as, "It's not completely non-melting because you do want your ice cream to be cold. It will melt eventually but hopefully by keeping it stable for longer it will stop the drips."
Slow-Melting Ice Cream
The BsIA Protein is Proven to Reduces Defrosting Time in Frozen Desserts
Trend Themes
1. Slow-melting Desserts - The discovery of the BsIA protein presents an opportunity for the development of slow-melting desserts with enhanced texture and reduced calories and fats.
2. Protein-based Additives - The BsIA protein can be utilized as a natural additive in various food products, leading to potential advancements in the development of protein-based additives for improved stability and texture.
3. Health-conscious Frozen Treats - The utilization of BsIA protein in ice cream provides an avenue for the creation of healthier frozen desserts that meet the demands of health-conscious consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - The food and beverage industry can leverage the BsIA protein to create innovative slow-melting frozen treats that cater to consumer preferences for taste, nutrition, and convenience.
2. Dairy - The dairy industry can explore the use of the BsIA protein in their product formulations to develop novel ice cream and frozen dessert options with improved characteristics and extended shelf life.
3. Research and Development - The discovery of the BsIA protein opens up opportunities for research and development teams to further investigate its potential applications in the creation of new functional food products with desirable attributes.