Mar 4, 2026 01:47 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1118630
EXCERPTS: 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, assistant professor of food science with 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 University of Arkansas. “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?”
[...] During rice milling, the dehulling process removes the husk, yielding brown rice. Further milling of brown rice produces white rice, along with rice bran and broken kernels as byproducts, Rahman explained.
Brown rice, bran and broken white rice kernels contain valuable nutritional components. For example, rice bran consists of about 15 percent protein, 15 percent fiber and 50 percent carbohydrates. Broken kernels, which can be used in pet food and beer brewing, contain about 7 percent protein, 75 percent carbohydrates and 1 percent fiber.
Say ‘cheese’
After chemically extracting protein from each rice section, the food scientists made three different plant-based cheeses using a standard recipe with organic coconut oil and corn starch... (MORE - details, no ads)
EXCERPTS: 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, assistant professor of food science with 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 University of Arkansas. “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?”
[...] During rice milling, the dehulling process removes the husk, yielding brown rice. Further milling of brown rice produces white rice, along with rice bran and broken kernels as byproducts, Rahman explained.
Brown rice, bran and broken white rice kernels contain valuable nutritional components. For example, rice bran consists of about 15 percent protein, 15 percent fiber and 50 percent carbohydrates. Broken kernels, which can be used in pet food and beer brewing, contain about 7 percent protein, 75 percent carbohydrates and 1 percent fiber.
Say ‘cheese’
After chemically extracting protein from each rice section, the food scientists made three different plant-based cheeses using a standard recipe with organic coconut oil and corn starch... (MORE - details, no ads)