article_snippet: The Italian researchers have discovered a way to convert the liquid state of extra virgin olive oil into a gel, without the need for other solids.
article_snippet: The Italian researchers have discovered a way to convert the liquid state of extra virgin olive oil into a gel, without the need for other solids.
article_snippet: Olive oil (pictured) was made by 10 chemical engineers from the Italian University of Calabria in the southern town of Arcavacata.
article_snippet: 10 chemical engineers from the Italian University of Calabria in the southern town of Arcavacata used a technique called 'organogelazione' which involves subjecting the properties of certain molecules known in the food industry, such as emulsifiers, to a range of temperatures.
article_snippet: When certain molecules known in the food industry, such as emulsifiers are heated and mixed certain molecules known in the food industry, such as emulsifiers were found to form new structures.
article_snippet: The university's food engineering department headed by Professor Bruno de Cindio said: 'In this network structure, Olive oil (pictured) remains 'trapped' within the changing texture and transforms Olive oil (pictured), in the first stage, into a gel form and, in a second stage, into a creamy spreadable paste.'
article_snippet: The university's food engineering department headed by Professor Bruno de Cindio added that said that this also means this can be produced in various consistencies from a slightly stickier version ideal for dressing salads and other foods to a more solid variation that can be spread like margarine or butter on bread.
highlights_snippet: Engineers at the University of Calabria, Italy, created the bright gel .
  
highlights_snippet: The experts heated and mixed molecules to make the new product .
  