Anyone for snail slime and strawberry sorbet?

Alessandro Racca, a sorbet and gelato master, has devised a strawberry sorbet that has snail secretion as a major ingredient. Impressed by its medicinal and binding qualities, he said it tasted surprisingly good.

It came about as he wanted to persuade children with cancer to ingest snail slime as part of their treatment. It is known to help with digestion for patients fighting tumours. Mr Racca, from Carpigiani Gelato University, near Bologna, Italy, said: “The recipe was thought up on the spot and I need to do more tests. But we are off to a good start.”