Have you ever had a hankering for a sweet treat that you can eat in the dark? Have you ever needed something to help you cool off that you could bring to a rave? Have you ever wished that your food was bioluminescent?
Then say hello to glow in the dark ice cream. This dessert is a scientific breakthrough and is ready to light up the dark and your taste buds.
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The search for this radiant recipe began back in 2013 with a British company called Lick Me I’m Delicious. Owner Charlie Harry Francis was inspired by bioluminescent jellyfish and was able to isolate a jellyfish protein that glows when it comes in contact with a neutral pH, like saliva.
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In his own words, “It glows when you lick it.” While the product has an awesome effect, many customers were turned off to the idea of eating jellyfish, along with its £140 price tag (about $225). The process of extracting the protein was insanely expensive, so the product did not do very well.
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Plus, when asked about the product’s safety, Charlie stated, “Well, I tried some and I don’t seem to be glowing anywhere, so we’ll go with a yes for now.” Needless to say the safety pitch didn’t go over too well, but we thank Charlie for paving the way to florescent frozen food.
A year later, two gentlemen in Australia had a breakthrough of their own. Steve Felice, co-owner of the Melbourne ice cream parlor 196 Below, was a dance party child and wanted a dessert he could eat at a rave.
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He sold neon paraphernalia and wanted an ice cream that could glow under a black light, just like his clothing. After finding a UV reactive food coloring, the company created a stunning product that’s seen great success.
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The coloring is approved by the Australian government and is safe for consumption. With a vegan recipe and three flavors, the product has captured the senses of late night party-goers in Melbourne.
The company also uses liquid nitrogen to make all of their ice creams, which is how they came up with their company name, as liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of -196°C.
Do you still want more from your ice cream? Here are some crazy ideas for you: