Eco ice cream

Is carbon-counting the next big food trend? Unilever is introducing a new low-carbon “ambient” ice cream. You read that right.

In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, the company responsible for other successful ice creams such as Ben & Jerry’s, has developed an ice cream that need not be frozen until the consumer takes it home.

Freezing is an incredibly carbon-intense process when done on such a large scale.  By omitting the frozen storage and transportation, Unilever hopes to see huge savings. The company is also making changes to their bases of operations, installing more energy-efficient appliances and making other carbon-smart energy upgrades.

Low-carbon ice cream sounds like a great place to start. But the company is less confident about how the product will be received, and even how it will taste. If you’ve ever let a bowl of ice cream melt, and tried sticking it back in the freezer, you’ll understand why.

A spokesperson for Unilever says “when the ambient ice cream is frozen at home it will have the right microstructure to produce a fantastic consumer experience.”  But will the product taste any good after it’s been frozen in an uncontrolled environment?

So far, it looks like taste has taken a back seat to carbon-conciousness. But as any carb-counter will tell you; if it tastes good, it must be bad for you – and may be bad for the planet too!