Dive Brief:
- A naturally occurring protein may become an ingredient that can be used to create more stable ice cream that melts more slowly and doesn't form ice crystals in the freezer. The protein, called BslA (Bacterial Surface Layer A), binds the air, fat and water in ice cream.
- Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee have created a way to produce BslA in friendly bacteria. They have tested BsIA ice cream in the lab, have a patent pending and estimate that ice cream made BsIA could be available within three to five years.
- Because BsIA ice cream wouldn't have to be as cold as regular ice cream, benefits that the researchers see include less energy required to make ice cream and less energy to transport it. Theoretically, the ice cream would remain creamy in a consumer's freezer without freezer burn much longer than other products. Also, BsIA could decrease the levels of saturated fat and calories in ice cream.
Dive Insight:
If BsIA lives up to the researchers' expectations, ice cream could become a whole new experience, for both manufacturers and consumers. Using BsIA as an ingredient may not meet with much consumer resistance, as it is a naturally occurring protein already found in foods such as natto (fermented soybeans). Of course, some people are likely to miss their melting ice cream — though perhaps finding different ways to market the product could help consumers think of the product in a new light.