Glow-In-The-Dark Ice Cream: The Latest Addition To Novelty Food Movement
The novelty food movement just took another step into the unknown, as a British inventor has used a protein found in jellyfish to turn ice cream into a glow-in-the-dark treat. Now that late-night trip to raid the freezer will be made a little easier, as you will be able to use your ice cream to light your way back to bed. And it will only cost you about $200 a scoop.
How it works
Entrepreneur and inventor Charlie Francis synthesized the protein jellyfish use to create their luminescence, and infused it into one of the all-time great sweet treats to create a distinctive feature that he hopes will justify its high price tag.
“It’s glow in the dark jellyfish ice cream using calcium activated proteins that react when they are agitated, or to put it a non sciencey way, it glows when you lick it,” Francis explained on his blog.
The actual glow comes from the reaction of the protein with the human tongue. The warmth of the tongue heats up the protein’s pH level to the point that it emits the dull glow. It won’t create enough light that you’ll be able to replace your emergency set of flashlights with a carton of Francis’ invention, but its effect is certainly disarming.
New addition to the novelty food aisle
The ice cream is just the latest in a line of phosphorescent foods with which Francis is experimenting. According to CBS News, he’s recently started working on another dish that uses the jellyfish protein in combination with the quinine in tonic to create a fluorescent gin and tonic-flavored sorbet.
It’s the kind of innovation that can serve as inspiration to anyone working on an online culinary arts program or who is taking online pastry courses.
With a sticker price of about $225 a scoop, the ice cream certainly seems a bit extravagant. But in a world where people pay up to $100 for a cronut, this might just be the tip of the ice (cream) berg.
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