New Ice Cream Doesn't Melt Despite the Heat

Melting ice cream may just be a thing of the past. Scientists have developed a protein that may just keep your ice cream from actually melting.

The new development could actually allow products to be made with lower levels of saturated fat and, in consequence, fewer calories. In fact, the ice cream could be on the market in as little as three to five years. The new ice cream could also prevent gritty ice crystals from forming and ensure a fine, smooth texture.

So what's the secret ingredient for this new ice cream? It's technically a protein, known as BsIA. This protein essentially binds together the air, fat and water in ice to make it more melt-resistant. The protein itself is introduced in a bacteria, such as the kind that naturally occurs in yogurt, which then is added as one of the ingredients to the ice cream.

"We're excited by the potential this new ingredient has for improving ice cream, for consumers and for manufacturers," said Cait MacPhee, who led the project, in an interview with The Guardian.

Currently, the researchers are still testing the protein. However, this could be a huge step forward when it comes to ice cream manufacturing. In theory, it could actually lower energy costs for keeping ice cream cold, and also lower the energy costs for transportation for the same reason. With that said, it will be a few years before we get a test of this new type of anti-melting ice cream.

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