The looming threat of the climate crisis has put the future of rice under scrutiny. If global temperatures rise by 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, half of the Mekong delta – the biggest rice exporter in the world – would be submerged. Amidst this backdrop, the European Rice project has come forth to raise awareness of rice grown in Europe and promote its sustainability benefits.
With rice grown on 416,000 hectares in Europe, amounting to 2.8 million tonnes of rice per year, the EU is self-sufficient and even a net exporter for japonica rice, which represents around 75% of EU rice production, with the rest made up of Indica rice. Recognizing the critical role rice plays in the Mediterranean diet, European Rice emphasizes the importance of cultivating it to last for generations to come.
One innovative European company, Rice In Action, is leveraging the grain to tackle one of its fundamental challenges – cooking time. The Madrid-based start-up has developed proprietary technology that both lowers rice’s glycaemic index and its cooking time, thus providing health and sustainability benefits. The company claims its rice can offer food service clients a 12x increase in productivity, while reducing energy costs by 60x.
“Our process is much more efficient in terms of resources, energy, and water, as cooking times are radically reduced,” says Christophe Pais, Co-Founder of Rice In Action. The company has been chosen to participate in this year’s EIT Food Accelerator at the Haifa hub of the ‘Food as a Medicine’ programme.
The minimal processing Rice In Action undertakes not only lowers cooking time but also enhances the rice’s nutritional properties. If traditional cooked rice has SDS of 24%, Rice In Action’s rice has 52%. “This means that it releases sustained energy without causing blood glucose spikes,” explains Pais. The rice is grown by a small cooperative at the foot of the Pyrenees in a dry and cold climate with melt water, needing less fungicides and chemicals than traditionally cultivated rice. To flavor the rice and broths, valorized vegetables that would normally leave the circuit are used in dehydrated form.
Moreover, Rice In Action is solving another problem that plagues the food service sector – labor shortages. “We are solving a huge pain, which is the lack of specialized labor to offer quality elaborate dishes in food service,” says Pais. The company is currently launching operations offering paellas and risottos to food service in Spain. Five-star hotels and restaurants have already begun incorporating Rice In Action’s rice into their dishes.
The company is now looking for international partners to exploit its technology further. “Right now, we have a pilot plant that can manufacture 3 million servings per year, but a much larger scale is easily achievable,” says Pais. For this reason, Rice In Action is on the lookout for interested co-manufacturers to expand its reach.
