How rice + seaweed can transform food and sustainability efforts

(Image is AI-generated)

By Glenn Concepcion

In a world grappling with a rising population, climate change, and a growing need for healthier food options, scientists are turning to an unlikely pairing: rice and seaweed.

A scientific review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition explores the vast, untapped potential of combining rice starch with biopolymers from seaweed to create transformative products that benefit both human and planetary health.

Rice is a staple food for more than half the global population, but a significant portion—over 15% of polished rice—consists of broken grains often sold for lower-value uses like animal feed. At the same time, seaweed production has skyrocketed, growing from just half a million wet tons in 1950 to nearly 36 million tons in 2020, thanks to its exceptional nutritional profile rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute and the University of the Philippines-Diliman Marine Science Institute saw a powerful opportunity in these two resources. By extracting starch from underutilized broken rice grains and blending it with hydrocolloids—natural gelling agents like agar, alginate, and carrageenan from seaweed—they can create novel materials with remarkable properties.

“Combining rice starch with seaweed biopolymers is not just a technical novelty,” the study’s authors state, “it reflects a strategic alignment of nutritional enhancement, material functionality, and environmental sustainability”.