Polyphenol is not a word that comes up in everyday conversation, but chances are, you’ve encountered (and eaten) plenty of them without ever knowing it. Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found in plants such as apples, onions, ginseng, and cocoa. They help give plants their color, flavor, and aroma, and in our bodies, many polyphenols have anti-inflammatory effects. Some researchers are studying their potential role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, but a few Badgers have found some decidedly Wisconsin ways to use them. Cameron Wicks PhD’24 discovered that adding polyphenols to ice cream could create a “no-melt” dessert that holds its shape for more than four hours at room temperature. In another turn of ice cream-related events, food science professor Bradley Bolling ‘02, PhD’07 and his team have found a way to extract polyphenol-rich compounds from Wisconsin cranberries to create natural food coloring. The process could eventually provide an alternative to synthetic dyes in foods helping keep Blue Moon blue and finally allowing Babcock to have a Badger red-colored ice cream flavor. Sweet!

Support future generations of Badgers with a gift to the WAA Scholarship Fund.