What if your favourite meat snack could be better for you and the planet? Meat scientist Dr Renyu Zhang has created hybrid jerky that blends beef with nutrient-rich algae and yeast, proving innovation can taste good.  The AgResearch Group reports –

Renyu Zhang loves meat.

He’s a meat scientist, after all. So when he saw for the first time in his laboratory the hybrid beef burger he’d created, a mix of beef, Chlorella (a nutrient-rich algae), and nutritional yeast, the rational side of his brain knew that his skills in food innovation and science had made this new creation possible, but taste would decide if it survived. Which is why, like any good scientist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, he had a plan B.

“I knew consumers are more willing to experiment with snack foods,” he says. “We have a more open mind to trying different textures and flavours in a snack than in something we have a strong emotional attachment to like a burger which is why at the same time we made something a little bit novel in the hybrid meat space.”

Beef jerky might sound old‑school, perhaps even foreign to most New Zealanders, but for Zhang, it was the perfect canvas for innovation. Unlike burgers, which come bundled with very fixed expectations about taste and texture, jerky sits in a space where consumers are curious and adventurous. That curiosity gave him room to test the central thesis of his hunch about dual‑protein foods – hybrids that pair familiar meat with carefully chosen alternative proteins to boost nutrition and reduce environmental impact without losing the pleasure of meat.

He wasn’t thinking in isolation, either. The world’s appetite for protein is rising, and with it, the pressure to produce food that’s both nutritious and sustainable. Meat delivers high‑quality protein and micronutrients – no argument there. But blending meat with complementary proteins from plants, edible insects, microalgae, or nutritional yeast, or even biomass from the dairy sector opens new pathways to use resources more efficiently while preserving the taste people love. The question is how to do it without turning a good idea into a chewy compromise.

A framework for success

Zhang designed a hybrid meat framework which is a holistic systems‑based roadmap for innovating dual‑protein meat products. It sounds technical because it is. “You can’t just toss algae into beef and hope for the best,” he laughs. “You have to understand how all the parts behave – before, during, and after processing.”

The framework starts at the source. Meat isn’t a single, consistent ingredient; its behaviour is shaped by animal genetics, pre‑slaughter handling, and post‑mortem treatments like ageing or freezing. Those factors shift protein solubility, gelation, and emulsification which are the invisible levers behind texture, moisture retention, and bite. Alternative proteins come with their own fingerprints: genetics, cultivation conditions, and downstream processing influence compatibility, flavour, and digestibility. Choose poorly, and you might end up with gritty textures or off‑notes. Choose well, and you build complementary structures that feel cohesive, not cobbled together.

From there, Zhang dived down to the molecular level. Proteins mingle and lock through disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatics. These are extremely sensitive to pH, temperature, and salt, which means small tweaks can transform how a hybrid jerky holds water, binds fat, and snaps when you tear it.

So did the jerky work?

Yes – and not because of luck. Zhang’s prototypes (pictured above) hit the proverbial sweet spot: lower fat and energy, more minerals and good fats, all while preserving protein and delivering the chew and flavour that jerky fans expect. More importantly, they demonstrated the broader point: hybrid meat isn’t about forcing consumers to eat something weird; it’s about using a systems approach to make something familiar meaningfully better.

It’s why he chose jerky first. As a category, it invites experimentation with spices, smokes, and marinades and because jerky is portioned and snackable, consumers are more open to trying a “hybrid” without committing to a full meal. “If you meet them with something familiar that’s just a bit better for them,” he says, “they’ll come along.”

Zhang’s view is pragmatic and hopeful: the global protein challenge won’t be solved by a single ingredient or ideology. It will be solved by thoughtful combinations, tuned interactions, smart processing, and clear, consumer‑centred design. Sometimes, the future of food looks like a cutting‑edge lab. And sometimes, it looks like a simple strip of jerky – crafted with a lot of science.

Zhang’s has his sights every much fixed on the horizon of what’s next in food science.  He says semi‑solid formats, even 3D‑printed structures, that tailor textures for older adults who need easier‑to‑chew options, and liquid products like fortified spreads and soups for athletes who want concentrated protein and micronutrients with minimal fuss are high on his agenda as future avenues of research. The same system rules apply; raw material selection, interaction tuning, process control, just aimed at different outcomes.

To make all this move faster, he’s also layering in digital tools. AI helps screen ingredients, flag regulatory constraints, and optimise cost‑nutrient‑texture trade‑offs. Machine learning models are helping to predict behaviours based on experimental datasets, reducing trial‑and‑error cycles. And natural language processing mines market data for what people actually say they want, guiding sensory targets and claims. “It’s like adding a data‑driven sous‑chef to the team,” Zhang jokes. “You still cook, but you waste less.”

• The research described in the story above was one of the main workstreams under Emerging Foods Flagship programme of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, co-led by Caroline Thum and David Hooks. The research outcome was recently published in two academic journals: the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, and Meat Science.

Citations:

1. Zhang, R., Farouk, M. M., Realini, C. E., & Thum, C. (2025). Hybridization in Meat-Based Dual Protein Foods: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Consumer Insights. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.70216(external link)
2. Zhang, R., Jacob, N., Thum, C., Realini, C. E., & Farouk, M. M. (2026). Hybridisation of yearling beef mince with Chlorella biomass and nutritional yeast in patty and soft jerky model systems. Meat Science, 232, Article 109977. https://read.qxmd.com/read/41166821/hybridisation-of-yearling-beef-mince-with-chlorella-biomass-and-nutritional-yeast-in-patty-and-soft-jerky-model-systems(external link)

Source: Bioeconomy Science Institute