In stores next summer: ice cream that doesn't melt

[FlyingDutchman]

In stores next summer: ice cream that doesn't melt

http://www.nrc.nl/international/Feat...meltPublished: 26 August 2009

Unilever and Nestlé are developing proteins and fungi to improve the properties of ice cream.
By Sander Voormolen


These days ice cream and popsicles come equipped with all sorts of innovative ingredients. Manufacturers Nestlé and Unilever are investing millions to improve their treats with more fruit and less fat, but first they are making them leak-proof.

The world's two biggest ice cream producers have already developed an antifreeze protein that resembles that of a polar fish to prevent ice cream from melting and dripping. And they know how to make frozen deserts that contain less saturated fat because they have been enriched with a protein made of fungi.

New ingredients can radically alter the traditional structure of frozen treats. Ice pops, for example, will not need to be wrapped individually to prevent them from freezing together and chocolate ice cream could be reduced in calories by 40 percent without losing its delicate structure.

The British-Dutch Unilever (Magnum, Ben & Jerry's) and French Nestlé (Häagen-Dazs, et cetera) companies are secretive about their miracle ingredients, because of the competition, but an investigation into their patents reveals some information about their developments.

Something fishy
Unilever, for example, has been using an 'anti-freeze' protein from the Atlantic eelpout. They can't really call it an anti-freeze (because the ice cream as well as the fish's blood that contains it do freeze) so they named it 'ice-structuring protein' (ISP) instead. Unilever said there is nothing 'fishy' about the ISP as the company makes the protein out of yeast, using the DNA code of the original protein.

Ice pops containing ISP, such as Popsicle en Breyers Fat Free Icecream, have been on the US market since 2003. They are being sold in Australia and several Asian countries. Europe lags behind because Unilever didn't get the approval of the European food authority EFSA until May of this year. "Just too late for this summer," said Joost Houben, the marketing manager of Unilevers Benelux ice cream division. He said the ISP-enriched ice cream will probably be available in some European countries, including the Netherlands, next year.

Competitor Nestlé from Switzerland is close behind in its research of ISPs. As early as 1997, the company patented the use of the protein from the eelpout, but not much has happened with it since. However, in 2008, it earned a patent for making ISP out of dairy protein, an innovation from Dutch researcher Kees de Kruif of the NIZO Food Research institute.

Genetically engineered food
The patent's text reveals why Nestlé would rather use a dairy product. "These techniques are the topic of much controversy and the genetically engineered products that result from it are not necessarily attractive to consumers."
Unilever denies that its ice creams are genetically engineered because it filters the auxiliary substance ISP from the ice cream during production.
In addition to the development of ice creams that do not melt in your hand or contain fewer calories, Houben sees more improvements on the horizon. "We can increase the percentage of fruit without the ice becoming so hard there is a threat someone might break their teeth on it. Or we could make ice creams with shapes and effects not seen until now. Like little ice candies in a bag that don't stick together, or a popsicle that's hard on the outside, but almost liquid and soft on the inside."

Health or pleasure?
Unilever is also - quietly - working on a substance that will improve the fluffiness of ice cream, with so called hydrophobins from fungi: water-resistant proteins that enhance the stability of froth. This could enable manufacturers to replace saturated fats with vegetable oils, thus making the snacks healthier.

Are all these new ice ingredients safe, one might ask? Frank Kok, a professor of human nutrition at Wageningen University, said consumers can rest assured that the large food producers "have done their homework" when it comes to the processing of new substances. These auxiliary substances make the ice creams "easier to digest", he said.

"Ice pops are pretty harmless, except for the sugar and possible colouring agents they contain, but ice cream has a lot of fat and sugar," Kok explained. He therefore believes the initiatives taken by the industry are "a good development".

He is not, however, in favour of adding vitamins, fibres, lactic acid bacteria and antibodies to make ice creams 'healthier' as some of the Nestlé and Unilever patents imply they may do. Kok said there is no sense in making ice cream a healthy snack. "It's about the taste and the pleasure."

[Kaisermane]

Aw, I like my ice cream kind of melted and soft (if it's in a bowl). But I do think that's kind of cool if they mass produce ice cream that doesn't melt, I'm torn now

[sexycatie]

Well even if it doesn't melt it will still become un-cold, which doesn't sound that great to me.

[FlyingDutchman]

Just think, warm un-melted cream. Can't call it "ice" cream anymore. It will just be a blob in a cone.
Think of all the happy little children. No more ice cream falling on the ground.
They can take forever to finish it.

[knottyknicky]

Gross. I'll stick with my organic four-ingredient ice cream, thankyouverymuch.

[spacejunk]

There taking the fun part out of it, I like to race against time when Im eating my ice cream, trying not to let the melted ice cream run down my hand

[sicninja]

aww! no more ice cream soup!

[Human_Torch]

Yeah this does sound kinda sick heh

I always thought ice cream that doesn't melt is that dehydrated stuff that astronauts eat and you can buy at museums.

[BBWLynzee]

Originally Posted by sicninja

aww! no more ice cream soup!

This was my EXACT response to this news!!!!!!!!!!!


I LOVE my ice cream soft and melty!!!!!!! *cries*

[spacejunk]

Originally Posted by Human_Torch

Yeah this does sound kinda sick heh

I always thought ice cream that doesn't melt is that dehydrated stuff that astronauts eat and you can buy at museums.

lol yea I bought those before

[Human_Torch]

Originally Posted by spacejunk

lol yea I bought those before

LOL! It's actually pretty good! Not as good as dehydrated astronaut peaches though.

[spacejunk]

Originally Posted by Human_Torch

LOL! It's actually pretty good! Not as good as dehydrated astronaut peaches though.

Yea the dry ice cream taste and looks like those marshmallows in cereals

[TWiST]

Roald Dahl was waaaay ahead of his time, apparently. Are those everlasting gob-stoppers I see on the horizon?
XxX

[Domiho]

I'm pleased with this. When I eat ice cream I get this ocd urge to get the melty parts up before going for the good solid stuff, so I'm always going through this mad dash of keeping the melted part in check while trying to enjoy the unmelted.

Betcha never knew that eating ice cream could be so stressful.

[Hangdrum]

If you're stressing about the melt factor in your ice cream, I'd say you'd lack a set of priorities in life

just kiddin'. I feel you, except I'm the opposite. I enjoy eating the solid stuff first, and then spoon-whipping a delicious milkshake with all the chocolate chunks collecting at the bottom for that last delightful delicious bite.