Ice cream tastes better when it's licked from a cone than eaten from a spoon, according to a top ice cream judge.
Kay McMath, a sensory scientist from Massey University and chief judge for the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards, said today the question of whether ice creamtasted better from a cone than when eaten from a spoon was a tricky hypothesis to prove as it involved such different procedures for different individuals.
"However there are some physical and physiological reasons why there are likely to be differences in flavour," she said.
"Flavour in ice cream is released when it's warmed in the mouth to at least body temperature.
"During licking, the tongue is coated with a thin layer of ice cream where it is more quickly warmed, and the flavour is detected by the large surface area of the taste buds present on the tongue.
"By comparison, the spoon provides insulation to keep the ice cream colder when put into the mouth. Once in the mouth the tongue pushes the ice cream to the roof of the mouth to melt before swallowing. A smaller surface area is therefore involved in warming the ice cream to release the flavours," she said.
Mrs McMath said that because ice cream was eaten in smaller amounts when it was licked from a cone, the full melt and therefore the full flavour release occurred with every lick.
She said this scientific explanation supported the view that the longer the ice cream licking moment lasted, the greater the enjoyment.
Next Monday, Labour Day, more than 600 dairies are taking part in Tip Top $1 scoop day, where people get the chance for one day only to pay just $1 per scoop of Tip Top ice cream in a cone from a dairy.
