Ice Cream That Won't Melt - Only in Japan!

[M.D. Holloway]

Those crazy Japanese! What will they think of next?

Ice Cream That Doesn't Melt | Engineering360

Ice Cream That Doesn't Melt

Marie Donlon
08 August 2017



The only thing not melting this summer, thanks to an accidental discovery in Japan, is ice cream.

Scientists in Japan have developed a recipe for ice cream that won't melt, even when exposed to warm temperatures for significant periods of time.

The ingredient keeping ice cream solid (a compound called polyphenol) was discovered by a chef in Japan who was tasked with finding recipes for misshapen strawberries from regions affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The chef found that adding these strawberries to cream resulted in solidifying the cream, preventing the oil and water from separating (which is what typically occurs with ice cream).

Scientists decided to apply this extract to ice cream, resulting in a cold treat that is able to maintain its shape.

For now, the ice cream is only available in Japan.

Polyphenols are a pretty large group of molecules - some very good, others thought to interfere with metabolic functions.

I'll let you guys try it when you go to Japan, tell us about it!

[id10t]

Freeze dried ice cream doesn't melt either, and its been around since at least the early 70s...

[masraum]

Wait, so deformed strawberries from Fukushima? Yeah, that sounds awesome.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by masraum

Wait, so deformed strawberries from Fukushima? Yeah, that sounds awesome.

That's what I was thinking, but science makes discoveries in the most accidental ways at times.

Now, if they can only get the ice cream to glow in the dark, then they would have a winner.