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Unilever R&D has launched its Centre of Excellence Ice Foods, a global product development centre for ice cream and ice-based foods

Unilever

R&D has launched its Centre of Excellence Ice Foods, a global product development centre for ice cream and ice-based foods based at two sites in the UK and Italy.

The cross-disciplinary centre employs 130 R&D professionals across Colworth Science Park in Bedfordshire and Caivano, Italy to exchange knowledge on ice, freezing, ingredients and processing.

Researchers will focus on developing healthier ice-based foods using natural ingredients, using specialised techniques to create new and improved textures and eating sensations.

The main areas the centre will investigate are: freezing, aeration of products and ice technology; product shaping and forming; the ice cream value chain; and packaging and selling systems for ice based foods.

One product the centre is working towards is fizzy ice.