Millions of biscuits lost every year to dunking!
It's a dunking tragedy...
A staggering 6.1 million biscuits weekly meet a tragic end at the bottom of mugs due to poor dunking skills, according to new research.
McVitie's say their work shows that a whopping 80% of the UK population confess to being avid dunkers, with 38% admitting to 'always' or 'often' indulging in the biscuit-dunking ritual.
But catastrophe can strike if a biscuit is dunked for too long and breaks off, falling into your beverage.
In response to this huge challenge, McVitie's appointed a Chief Dunking Officer (CDO), renowned scientist Dr. Helen Pilcher has bravely taken on the role, aiming to revolutionize the dunking experience and eliminate biscuit-related mishaps.
Science solving the big biscuit dilemmas
Dr. Pilcher, through extensive experimentation, discovered the 'micro-dunk.'
Contrary to popular belief, many biscuits only require a fraction of a second for the perfect dunk, she determined that the optimal absorption for a biscuit is 20% of its original weight, coined as the 'biscuit dunking constant.'
Under laboratory conditions, Dr. Pilcher and her team meticulously calculated the ideal dunk times for popular biscuits, emphasizing flavour enhancement and texture perfection. Additionally, she identified the Dunking Danger Zone – the critical point where biscuits risk breakage.
Robert Craggs, Lead Product Development Chef at McVitie’s UK & Ireland said:
“Dunking a biscuit is an art form - it’s a delicate balance to preserve the integrity of the biscuit whilst also enhancing the taste with your drink of choice."
McVitie’s new Chief Dunking Officer, Dr Helen Pilcher, added:
“The natural porosity of a biscuit makes it an ideal snack to be dipped into a drink and soak up all the deliciousness.
"However, Brits are still susceptible to over-dunking their biscuits – which is why we have identified the Optimum Dunking Time and the Dunking Danger Zone."