Rice Protein Could Transform Plant-Based Cheese

For many people, cheese is the final “hard thing” to stop eating. It is missed by vegans and by those avoiding dairy because it does not agree with them.

Allergies create another challenge. Many dairy-free cheeses rely on nuts, while many others contain gluten-based ingredients. For anyone allergic to dairy, nuts or gluten, the number of “safe” choices can quickly become limited.

This is why rice is being closely considered for producing a hypoallergenic alternative cheese. Rice is already a familiar food in the US and is not a common allergen.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the most promising protein sources include not just whole grains suitable for home cooking, but also materials left over from rice processing.

Why rice is appearing in cheese

Rice contains proteins with properties that can help replicate the role of dairy. Cheese needs enough structure to stay intact, while also becoming soft and melting in the way consumers expect.

Achieving both texture and meltability simultaneously remains difficult in plant-based cheese.

Mahfuzur Rahman, an assistant professor of food science at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and his graduate student, Ruslan Mehadi Galib, published research examining how various rice proteins perform in plant-based cheesemaking.

Using proteins extracted from one rice cultivar, the researchers found that separate parts of the same grain may offer different benefits in the finished product.

From milling byproducts to dinner plates

Arkansas is the United States’ largest rice producer, harvesting a record 1.43 million acres in 2024 and accounting for nearly 50 percent of total national rice production.

The study notes that the US generated an estimated 14.3 million tonnes of rice bran and 24.8 million tonnes of broken kernels annually in 2024, potentially providing around 3.3 million tonnes of protein for the plant-based protein market.

These figures are important because bran and broken kernels are commonly considered byproducts. In rice milling, removing the husk produces brown rice.

Additional milling converts brown rice into white rice, while also creating rice bran and broken kernels.

Rice bran contains roughly 15 percent protein, 15 percent fibre and 50 percent carbohydrates. Broken kernels, which may be used for pet food and beer brewing, contain around seven percent protein, 75 percent carbohydrates and one percent fibre.

What the researchers tested

The researchers set out to clarify what rice protein means in food products. Rather than approaching it as one ingredient, they assessed proteins taken from distinct parts of the grain.

“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?”

How each rice protein behaved

To assess protein performance in an actual food product, the team created three plant-based cheeses with a standard formulation containing organic coconut oil and corn starch. They also examined the composition of the proteins in detail.

Rice proteins consist of four main subunits: albumin, globulin, glutelin and prolamin. Glutelin is the largest fraction.

The protein profiles varied between the three sources. Rice bran contained the greatest amount of albumin, whereas brown rice and kernel protein had higher levels of glutelin.

Cheeses produced with rice byproducts contained about 12 percent protein, a notable amount in a category where many plant-based cheeses are low in protein.

Once made into cheese, the various rice sources performed differently.

Broken-kernel protein created a softer texture, with greater oil separation and melting properties, as well as high glutelin content and moderate solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties.

Brown rice protein contained more essential amino acids and produced more free amino acids during simulated digestion. It also delivered the highest solubility, emulsifying activity and emulsion stability.

Rice bran protein showed lower solubility but considerably greater surface hydrophobicity. Its high water-holding and foaming capacities enhanced texture and reduced oil separation in the cheese prototypes.

Future of rice-based cheese

At present, companies import and distribute rice protein in the US market. Extracting protein from rice milling byproducts offers a “significant opportunity to expand the U.S.-based rice protein market while promoting a sustainable circular economy.”

The findings also suggest wider food applications, as proteins with strong foaming and emulsifying abilities can sometimes perform functions normally handled by eggs and oils in recipes.

The researchers extracted the rice proteins using hexane. Meanwhile, Rahman has been developing a chemical-free ultrasound method intended to improve nutritional value.

Further research into rice protein for alternative cheesemaking is expected to refine cheese formulations and assess sensory characteristics, customer acceptance and shelf-life stability.

“Current research is in progress to tackle these issues, facilitating the transition from laboratory development to practical use,” Rahman said.

The complete study appeared in the journal Future Foods.