Scientists at UC Davis have created a breakthrough cooling material called jelly ice. Unlike normal ice, it doesn’t melt into water — instead, it softens and jiggles while still keeping things cold.
The research team, led by Luxin Wang, wanted to solve a real problem: meltwater from ice in food displays and cold chains can cause contamination. Inspired by frozen tofu, they used gelatin to make a hydrogel that traps water inside its pores. This design allows jelly ice to go through many freeze–thaw cycles without leaking.
Research highlights:
- Made of 90% water + gelatin, safe and compostable.
- Maintains ~80% cooling efficiency of regular ice.
- Can be washed, reused, and molded into different shapes.
- Composting jelly ice improved tomato plant growth in trials.
- Avoids microplastics, unlike synthetic ice packs.
The team is now working on making jelly ice from plant proteins like soy for even more sustainability. This research shows how chemistry and food science can create eco-friendly solutions for food safety, medicine transport, and lab use.
Read more from UC Davis Researchers Develop Ice Cube That Doesn’t Melt or Grow Mold | UC Davis
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