Australian food company adds ‘waste’ vegetables to its ice cream
The Aussie food company adds a very surprising ingredient to its ice cream – and not everyone will like it
Vegetable ice cream could one day hit the market after being developed by a vegetable waste company.
The divisive gelato comes in cauliflower and vanilla bean flavors, as well as pumpkin gingerbread, and is made by Nutri-V and Hort Connections, both of whom work in food innovation.
The ‘bespoke’ flavors were created for the Hort Connections annual conference and it was one of the more popular offerings on display due to its uniqueness.
Vegetable ice cream could one day hit the market after being developed by a vegetable waste company. Flavors offered include pumpkin gingerbread and cauliflower vanilla
Not only was the ice creams promised to be delicious, but just one scoop contains half a serving of vegetables with the same nutritional value.
The products are a potential way to reduce food waste, said Raquel Said, CEO of Nutri-V, with two to three vegetables planted on farms ending up in the trash.
“Part of growing vegetables may be related to tons not meeting retail specifications or oversupply or excess stems and leaves, but it’s all still perfectly nutritious,” she said.
‘We upcycle that waste into a sustainable but tasty solution. This ice cream contains reimagined vegetables. The future is to help Australians supplement their vegetable consumption while supporting farmers to reduce waste.”
Just one scoop contains half a serving of vegetables with the same nutritional value
The company made the treat by incorporating the vegetable powder that it developed together with Hort Innovation into the ice cream.
Nutri-V currently sells the vegetable powder for consumers to incorporate into their own recipes and has used it to make vegetable puffs similar to potato chips.
They don’t sell the ice cream commercially; however, they did not close the door on doing so in the future.
The divisive gelato is made by Nutri-V and Hort Connections, both of whom work in food innovation
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation, said his company is working on “innovative” ways to get consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables.
“Research shows that 96 percent of the population does not eat the recommended amount of vegetables per day, which is five to six servings,” said Fifield.
Ice cream is a popular dessert. Why don’t you get a health boost from it?
“Less than one percent of hard vegetables, such as pumpkin and cauliflower, are consumed for dessert – perhaps this is an untapped market.”