Briefs: Ice cream scoops

A new edible antifreeze developed by a US researcher could keep ice cream smooth and tasty by preventing the formation of gritty crystals when the ice cream is subjected to sudden temperature fluctuation. The antifreeze contains proteins similar to those that enable snow fleas to survive in winter. Unilever has patented a yeast that is genetically modified to produce antifreeze from Arctic fish blood, and Canadian researchers are working on an antifreeze derived from winter wheat. Danisco has been marketing ice cream containing the Grinstead IcePro stabilizer system, initially developed designed to enable the fat content to be reduced, and now proven to raise quality: crystals are 37-57% smaller than those in ice cream with conventional stabilizers.