For vegans and people who are allergic to dairy, nuts or gluten, rice is a surprising source to make a hypoallergenic alternative cheese.
As a bonus, the protein sources in rice are considered byproducts of white rice processing, adding value and potential domestic demand for one of Arkansas' leading crops, says Mahfuzur Rahman, an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Rahman and his food science graduate student, Ruslan Mehadi Galib, recently published a study in the journal Future Foods that provides more understanding of the capabilities of rice proteins for hypoallergenic alternative foods. The experiment station is the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
A variety of proteins extracted from a single rice cultivar were shown to provide qualities needed for plant-based cheesemaking, including firm texture and meltability.
"In a single rice grain, we have three different types of protein — from brown rice, white rice and bran," said Rahman, who is also part of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A. "That's the fundamental understanding we wanted to develop. When you say, 'rice protein,' what does that mean? Is it brown rice protein? Bran protein? Broken kernel protein?"
Circular Economy Opportunity
Arkansas is the leading rice producer in the United States, harvesting a record 1.43 million acres in 2024 that accounted for nearly 50% of the nation's total rice production. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the study points out that in 2024 the U.S. produced an estimated 14.3 million tons of rice bran and 24.8 million tons of broken kernels annually, offering a potential yield of about 3.3 million tons of protein for the plant-based protein market.
Currently, companies import and distribute rice protein within the U.S. market, the study added. Rahman pointed out that using these rice milling byproducts for protein extraction presents a "significant opportunity to expand the U.S.-based rice protein market while promoting a sustainable circular economy."
Source : uark.edu