The Icecream that glows when you lick it!
- The Edible Science
- Nov 24, 2020
- 3 min read
Glow in the dark sticks, tees, pens, and what not! The technology is moving now to the food industry as well. But, we cannot use the same substances that have been used for them because, well – Food. With our previous articles about the never melting icecream and icecream mini bombs, we add up to the list of incredible icecreams with this glowing icecream.
But what is it and of course, the elephant in the room – How?
This ice cream was introduced in the market by Lick Me I’m delicious (also thanks for introducing the portable nitro ice cream parlor). We owe this invention to Charlie Harry Francis, the owner of this company. This company is known for its unconventional factors that they have introduced to the consumer. The wildest choices of it being - roast beef, horseradish and Yorkshire pudding, lamb and mint, cheddar cheese, dark port and stilton (an English cheese), and raspberry mojito. Also, the company worked on one icecream using a fire extinguisher. But, more details on that sometime later.
About the glowing icecream, he states that “The icecream has been manufactured using calcium-activated proteins that react when agitated”. This agitation is caused by the human tongue at a pH of nearby 7. This pH is achieved by the human mouth which when becomes warm will increase the pH of the protein. Also, like all other amazing discoveries, this one was random too. While working on some other research, Francis came across some literature on jellyfish luminescence. He worked his way to a person in china working on these proteins.
The main ingredient of the product is a bioluminescent protein extracted from jellyfish. The substance will give off a neon-green color when licked (agitated) making it glow and hence the product. Bioluminescence is chemiluminescence in a living body. Any reaction where light is produced is known as chemiluminescence. Most of such organisms are related to aquatic habitats primarily oceans. Some rare ones on land include fireflies About 50% of the jellyfish in nature are bioluminescent. This reaction is caused by luciferin and luciferase. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation reaction which results in the release of light energy. The luciferin can either be produced on its own in the body or be consumed from dietary sources such as bioluminescent crustaceans. The luciferin found in jellyfish is coelenterazine. This reaction is very much temperature and pH-dependent.
It would cost around $225 for one scoop of this beauty. This high cost, almost four times that of gold is due to the high cost of production of the protein.
Other pre-existing luminescent drinks include sorbets. However, here instead of the jellyfish protein another ingredient – quinine is used. Quinine glows in dark under the presence of UV light. However, the glow-in-the-dark ice cream is one of its kind which does not need any such special light source.
After icecreams and sorbets, Francis is now interested in invisible icecreams and the world’s hottest ice cream. Due to the refraction of light by ice crystals, a method for the invisible icecream currently does not exist. However, he reckons that he’ll find a way around that too. So, if you think you can, what are you waiting for?
References
1. Glow-in-the-dark jellyfish ice cream -- for $225, you can have a scoop, Jenn Harris, www.latimes.com
2. Glow-in-the-Dark Ice Cream Exists — And It's Made Out of Jellyfish, Sara Afzal, www.mashable.com
3. British Entrepreneur Creates Glow-In-The-Dark Ice Cream That's Too Expensive To Eat, Dina Spector, www.businessinsider.in
5. How the Jelly Got Its Glow, www.amnh.org
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