Scientists discover new method to make ice cream melt slower using polyphenols
Shreeaa Rathi | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Aug 01, 2025, 23:09 IST
( Image credit : AP )
In a delicious twist for ice cream lovers, scientists are developing a new type of frozen treat that melts at a leisurely pace. By incorporating stabilizers and polyphenols, such as tannic acid, they create a resilient structure within the ice cream that slows down melting.
Scientists are exploring ways to make ice cream melt slower, addressing the common summer frustration of rapidly melting ice cream cones. This involves using stabilizers and exploring the properties of polyphenols, like tannic acid, to create a supportive network within the ice cream that prevents rapid disintegration. The goal is to improve the ice cream's stability without sacrificing its expected texture and taste.
Ice cream's quick melting is a familiar summertime woe. The disintegration of ice cream, running down fingers and dripping from cones, is a common problem.
Japanese manufacturer Kanazawa Ice gained attention for ice pops and soft-serve ice cream that resisted melting. Scientists discovered that polyphenols, antioxidant molecules found in fruits, contributed to this stability.
Ice cream consists mainly of cream and sugar. Machines churn this mixture in a refrigerated drum, scraping off the frozen film to prevent large ice crystals from forming. Temperature fluctuations during transportation can cause ice cream to melt and refreeze, leading to undesirable crystal formation.
Ice cream manufacturers use stabilizers like carrageenan and guar gum to combat melting during transit.
Cameron Wicks, a food scientist at General Mills, investigated the stabilizing effect of polyphenols after seeing Kanazawa Ice's no-melt ice cream. She experimented with tannic acid, a specific polyphenol, in cream mixtures.
In experiments, Wicks mixed cream with varying concentrations of tannic acid. Higher concentrations, specifically 0.75%, 1.5%, and 3%, caused the cream to thicken almost immediately. After chilling the mixtures for 24 hours, she observed that tannic acid caused them to gel. The 3% mixture became so solid it could be cut with a knife or turned upside down without spilling.
Microscopic examination revealed more distinct fat globules in the cream with higher tannic acid concentrations. Wicks and her colleagues theorized that the tannic acid interacted with the proteins in the cream. This interaction created a network that prevented fat globules from merging. This supportive network would prevent the liberated fats from running, thus resisting melting.
"It's more like a bra for your ice cream – or a nice, supportive pair of dessert hosiery."
However, this method does not defy the laws of physics.
Wicks found that ice cream made with this method eventually develops a pudding-like texture. The ice cream retains its shape but changes in consistency over time. Polyphenols do not keep the ice cream cold.
"Ice cream that does not melt, that instead warms up into a rubbery monolith, is not really what most of us expect from a frozen dessert."
Expectation plays a significant role in food enjoyment.
"If you expect vanilla ice cream, and discover upon taking a bite that it is mashed potatoes, it is a profound readjustment."
Polyphenols might become a standard stabilizer, improving ice cream's resilience during transportation. Whether high-dose polyphenol desserts, designed to withstand heat, will become widely available remains to be seen.
Ice cream's quick melting is a familiar summertime woe. The disintegration of ice cream, running down fingers and dripping from cones, is a common problem.
Japanese manufacturer Kanazawa Ice gained attention for ice pops and soft-serve ice cream that resisted melting. Scientists discovered that polyphenols, antioxidant molecules found in fruits, contributed to this stability.
Ice cream consists mainly of cream and sugar. Machines churn this mixture in a refrigerated drum, scraping off the frozen film to prevent large ice crystals from forming. Temperature fluctuations during transportation can cause ice cream to melt and refreeze, leading to undesirable crystal formation.
Ice cream manufacturers use stabilizers like carrageenan and guar gum to combat melting during transit.
Cameron Wicks, a food scientist at General Mills, investigated the stabilizing effect of polyphenols after seeing Kanazawa Ice's no-melt ice cream. She experimented with tannic acid, a specific polyphenol, in cream mixtures.
In experiments, Wicks mixed cream with varying concentrations of tannic acid. Higher concentrations, specifically 0.75%, 1.5%, and 3%, caused the cream to thicken almost immediately. After chilling the mixtures for 24 hours, she observed that tannic acid caused them to gel. The 3% mixture became so solid it could be cut with a knife or turned upside down without spilling.
Microscopic examination revealed more distinct fat globules in the cream with higher tannic acid concentrations. Wicks and her colleagues theorized that the tannic acid interacted with the proteins in the cream. This interaction created a network that prevented fat globules from merging. This supportive network would prevent the liberated fats from running, thus resisting melting.
"It's more like a bra for your ice cream – or a nice, supportive pair of dessert hosiery."
However, this method does not defy the laws of physics.
Wicks found that ice cream made with this method eventually develops a pudding-like texture. The ice cream retains its shape but changes in consistency over time. Polyphenols do not keep the ice cream cold.
"Ice cream that does not melt, that instead warms up into a rubbery monolith, is not really what most of us expect from a frozen dessert."
Expectation plays a significant role in food enjoyment.
"If you expect vanilla ice cream, and discover upon taking a bite that it is mashed potatoes, it is a profound readjustment."
Polyphenols might become a standard stabilizer, improving ice cream's resilience during transportation. Whether high-dose polyphenol desserts, designed to withstand heat, will become widely available remains to be seen.