A Japanese caterer has invented a non-melting ice cream for the elderly who have difficulty swallowing.
It is the Nakasho group, made up of nutritionists, that has the origin of the product. “ZuT” is an ice cream that, according to Franceinfo, can withstand a heat of 35 degrees Celsius for one hour.
Nakasho provides meals to nursing homes and has worked for years on dysphagia, a condition that causes difficulty swallowing, especially in the elderly.
People over the age of 75 make up 15% of Japan’s population. Retirement homes have therefore removed certain foods to accommodate this problem, particularly ice because it melts too quickly for people with swallowing difficulties.
The ice cream is melted by a melting process, which means that the heat breaks the bonds between the milk fat, the water and the air bubbles.
After several months of research, experts have managed to delay this phenomenon by adding natural ingredients to the formula, such as strawberry polyphenols or a secret ingredient found in certain algae.
Nakasho plans to market the product, so the recipe is kept secret. The ice cream comes in 3 flavors: chocolate, strawberry, and yogurt, for just over $8 a cup.