Structuring Potential of Brown Rice Protein for Meat Analogue

Abstract

ABSTRACT Brown rice protein (BRP) is a lesser‐used plant‐based ingredient derived from the grains of rice. However, it holds potential for diversifying protein sources for food products such as infant foods and bakeries as nutritious plant‐based sources. This study investigates the structuring potential of brown rice protein (BRP) using a high‐temperature shear cell (HTSC) under varying dry matter contents, BRP‐to‐soy ratios, and processing temperatures. The total dry matter content of the product was around 40%, which is a typical value for meat analogues. When processed under HTSC alone, BRP forms a non‐fibrous, dry, and crumbly product due to its low water‐holding capacity, solubility, and gelling ability compared to soy protein. However, partial incorporation of BRP at 4–9 wt% into blends with soy protein isolate (SPI) or concentrate (SPC) produced a range of products with small fibrous layers and diverse textural profiles. This indicates that BRP has potential to broaden the range of ingredients used in meat analogues when optimally combined with other ingredients.