CBS Local — With summer just months away, scientists say they have created an ice cream recipe that won’t turn into a mess in the hot sun.
According to a report from the American Chemical Society, a team of researchers from Columbia and Canada have developed a melt-resistant ice cream that holds its consistency in the heat and has a much longer shelf life.
Scientists in Japan invented a similar ice cream recipe that took chemical compounds found in strawberries to help stop melting last year. Working off this research, Dr. Robin Zuluaga Gallego and his team added banana plant fibers to a standard ice cream mix.
“Our findings suggest that cellulose nanofibers extracted from banana waste could help improve ice cream in several ways,” Dr. Gallego said in the ACS report. The new frozen treat reportedly has the same creaminess and texture of regular ice cream as well.
The fibers are part of the abundant amount of waste created by harvesting bananas. Normally, the banana plant is just disposed of once the fruit has been picked. Using the microscopic fibers from the banana plant stems, the researchers discovered a natural anti-melting agent.
“The fibers could lead to the development of a thicker and more palatable dessert… This would allow for a more relaxing and enjoyable experience with the food, especially in warm weather,” Gallego added.
A heat-resistant ice cream could mean big business in the United States. The average American reportedly eats 23 pounds of the frozen treat each year.
from CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/2E0t2Yd
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