Meat-based bread and ice-cream could be on the menu one day says AgResearch, a state science company investigating new ways to boost the export earnings of the meat industry.
Senior scientist Scott Knowles says wider use could be made of products from animals which are raised for meat.
Dr Knowles is helping to create new products, which include meat proteins and minerals and says that some interesting combinations have been tested, including the protein-rich ice-cream.
"We've replaced the cream portion of traditional ice-cream with extracted protein and lipids (fats) from redmeat and created quite a novel and interesting and satisfying ice-cream dessert: sort of a lovely pale colour and flavoured with thyme and ginger," he said.
"It worked really well - and it was tasty."
