A Physicist's Guide to Ice Cream: The Unexpected Science of a Beloved Dessert
2025-01-20
Ice cream, a seemingly simple dessert, is a marvel of physics and chemistry. Professor Douglas Goff, a food scientist at the University of Guelph, Canada, unravels the science behind its creation, from emulsification and foaming to ice crystal formation. He explains how principles of materials science contribute to the perfect scoop, highlighting differences in structure between homemade and commercially produced ice cream, the impact of additives, and the challenges of vegan ice cream production. The article also details Goff's team's innovative use of electron microscopy to study ice cream's microstructure without melting the samples, showcasing the fascinating intersection of science and culinary arts.