ReGrained’s SuperGrain flour is the first ingredient in the world to receive the Upcyled Food Certification, developed by the Upcycled Food Association. According to ReGrained, the U.S. generates over 20 billion pounds of brewers' spent grains each year. The company takes this food waste and develops it into a flour that delivers a minimum of 3.5 times the fiber and two times the protein of whole grain flours.
"We are honored to achieve the first upcycled ingredient certification, and are excited to support our partners in developing certifiable finished products," said Dan Kurzrock, ReGrained CEO, in a statement. "Nearly 35 percent of the world's food is lost or wasted, which generates 8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and poorly uses our planet's precious resources. Bringing tasty and nutritious upcycled foods to every aisle of the grocery store combats this global issue. ReGrained has been leading the way since we baked our first loaf of upcycled bread in 2011."
After a beta test with companies like ReGrained, the Upcycled Certification Program is now open to any companies committed to reducing food waste. The third-party certified program lays out a rigorous set of rules establishing definitions for upcycled ingredients and products, providing a framework for companies to create, and communicate the impact of, upcycled foods, according to the Upcycled Food Association.
"Finally, companies can help mitigate food waste by participating in a straightforward, powerful program that turns food waste into new products and ingredients," said UFA co-founder and CEO Turner Wyatt, in a statement. "Cutting food waste is the single-most effective thing people can do to address climate change. And today, thanks to the roll-out of this set of clear, uniform standards and protocols, reducing food waste becomes much easier. It's an innovative approach because it's the first consumer product-based solution, making it highly scalable and economically sustainable."
Related: Global Ingredients, Functional Foods Among Specialty Food Live! Trends; ReGrained Plans Expansion of Upcycled Ingredients.
Image: ReGrained/Upcycled Food Association