Who would’ve thought that something as simple as Nitrous Oxide would become something so useful in today’s society? From being developed as an anesthetic and being used as a laughing gas at the 19th century British parties, all the way to being injected into vehicle engines to boost their power, Nitrous Oxide is one hell of a gas.
Now, what you perhaps didn’t know is that the world-famous laughing gas is also used to create that lovely, sweet whipped cream we all adore. But, as we’ve said, that’s not common knowledge, per se, so let’s learn a thing or two about it.
Brief History Of Nitrous Oxide
Way back in the late 18th century, a man named Joseph Priestly refused to believe that there’s only one gas in the atmosphere, so he did what any man of his stature would – he experimented. By 1772, Priestly was already well into his research, and one day – he discovered Nitrous Oxide.
We won’t get too much into detail about how he did his research, but let’s just say it was more than effective because apart from the Nitrous Oxide, Priestly has also discovered Oxygen, set foundations for the discovery of photosynthesis, and so on.
Later on, a man named Humphry Davy stepped onto the scene. His job was to find appropriate medical use for N20, and he did – only no one would listen to him. Almost 50 years went by before people took to Nitrous Oxide as an anesthetic during some medical procedures.
However, Davy also discovered another thing, and that’s that the N20 can be quite euphoric. It’s safe to say that he was a big supporter of recreational use of Nitrous Oxide, but so were the many others. It was in the early 19th century that the term “laughing gas” was coined.
Fast forward to about 150 years later to 1950’s Switzerland, and the laughing gas is now used as a part of a cream whipper and a charger system, invented and developed by a company appropriately called Whip-It’s.
Fast forward about 70 years to where we’re now, and Mr. Nang alone offers dozens of whipped cream, N20-powered shippers, and chargers.
What’s The Purpose Of Nitrous Oxide In Whipped Cream Production?
As you know, whipped cream comes in small cartridges. Those cartridges are filled with N20, and they’re used as a whipping agent. It’s as simple as that.
The pressurized gas is secured inside of a small steel cartridge, and once it’s inserted into a dispenser, the covering on one end is broken, releasing the gas into the sweet, high-fat cream, turning it into fluffy goodness called whipped cream.
Another interesting fact about these N20-filled chargers is that they’re produced only by a couple of factories in the world, most of which (3) are in Europe. Also, Nitrous Oxide inhibits bacteria growth, which is another reason why you can only use whipped cream from a dispenser for about a week or two.
Conclusion
There you go. We took a short trip down memory lane, and we’ve ended up here. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this whipped cream-themed journey. If you’re craving some whipped cream right now – go for it. We know we will.
