Researchers from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Allied Health Sciences have created “albumen rice,” an alternative rice product derived from egg whites.
This innovation aims to ease health concerns associated with excessive rice consumption, such as weight gain and elevated blood sugar levels. It is particularly beneficial for diabetic patients.
Professor Dr. Sirichai Adisakwatana, from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, led the project and co-founded Thandee Innofood Co Ltd, the startup behind the product branded “eggyday”.
“This rice alternative allows for precise nutritional control by transforming egg white protein and converting its structure into albumen rice. This rice has the appearance, taste, and texture of real rice while retaining all the nutritional value of the grain without any adverse health impacts,” he says.
The innovative production process involves a gelling reaction between a gelling agent and a salt solution that encapsulates the albumen protein, forming long, slender grains with rounded ends, closely replicating real rice grains.
The grains then undergo a high-temperature sterilization at 120 degrees Celsius to ensure they are bacteria-free and maintain their shape.
The resulting synthetic rice grains have a soft, sticky texture, devoid of starch and fat, providing low calories but high calcium.
Albumen rice won the research team an award at the Bangkok International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation and Technology Exposition.
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