New York, Aug 22 (IANS): How the humble okra or ladyfinger vegetable can help your ice cream last longer and hinder melting? Well if we believe scientists, okra extracts can be used as a stabiliser in ice cream.

They found that water extracts of okra fibre can be prepared and used to maintain ice cream quality during storage.

“These naturally extracted stabilisers offer an alternative food ingredient for the ice cream industry as well as for other food products,” said researchers in a paper appeared in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Ice cream quality is highly dependent on the size of ice crystals.

As ice cream melts and refreezes during distribution and storage, the ice crystals grow in size causing ice cream to become courser in texture which limits shelf life.

Stabilisers are used to maintain a smooth consistency, hinder melting, improve the handling properties, and make ice cream last longer.

The Chicago-based IFT is a non-profit organisation for the advancement of food science and technology.