MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESSWIRE / April 14, 2022 / PURIS, an early pioneer in the plant-based food system, has partnered with the Upcycled Food Association (UFA), an organization committed to combating food waste and loss. PURIS has recently earned the Upcycled Certified™ certification on its Non-GMO and Organic Native Pea Starches. The sustainable practice of upcycling highlights PURIS's commitment to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and environmental and social governance (ESG) targets, which are increasingly important to consumers. PURIS is one of the first pea ingredient manufacturers to have Upcycled Certified™ Pea Starch on the market.

Ingredient and finished food manufacturers have begun to recognize their role in reducing food loss and are now engaging in a process known as "upcycling." Upcycled products are those which use ingredients suitable for human consumption that would have otherwise gone to food waste destinations like land spread, landfills, or animal feed. These products, often the byproducts of common agricultural goods like stems, straws, or pods, reduce food loss and increase the value of the whole crop from farmer to manufacturer. Upcycling also ensures resource inputs, such as water and land, are used to their highest capacity.

"Since we started, we've chased our aspirations of building a food system built on plants - which means using all parts of the plant," said Tyler Lorenzen, CEO of PURIS Proteins. "Joining forces [with UFA] allows us to amplify that all parts of the pea, more specifically starch, can play an important role in mitigating food waste. Both UFA and PURIS believe in a future where our food system is a force for good - benefiting people and the planet."

The Upcycled Food Association (UFA) aims to elevate companies using upcycled ingredients and foods by creating the Upcycled Certified™ mark that is visible on food packaging. UFA has standardized the definition of "upcycling" and puts quality measures in place to ensure sustainable food production.

"Eliminating food waste is the single-most effective thing people can do to address climate change," said Turner Wyatt, UFA co-founder, and CEO. "Thanks to the launch of Upcycled Certified™, reducing food waste becomes much easier for everyday shoppers. Upcycling is an innovative approach because it's the first consumer product-based solution to food waste, making it highly scalable and economically sustainable."

According to research conducted by Mattson, 39 percent of consumers currently wish to purchase more upcycled foods with 57 percent planning to buy more in the future. Data from a study by Future Market also reveals that the upcycled food market was worth $46.7 billion in 2019 with an expected CAGR of five percent over the following ten years. Lastly, about 14 percent of the world's food is lost from post-harvest to retail, where manufacturers are responsible (per estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization Food Loss Index).

In order to earn the Upcycled Certified™ certification, PURIS underwent a series of documentation, site qualifications, and fees with the UFA's certifying body. This ensures finished food manufacturers and end consumers that PURIS Upcycled Certified™ ingredients are accountable to the highest standards of sustainability. In the future, PURIS hopes to certify more pea-based ingredients to amplify the upcycling movement.

About PURIS Proteins

PURIS is a family-owned, Midwest-based company founded in 1985. With its closed-loop system, PURIS partners with farmers across the U.S. to grow its seeds before buying back crops and transforming them into sustainable ingredients (PURIS Pea Protein, Pea Starch, Pea Fiber, and Whole Pulse Powders) and plant-based foods. PURIS is always innovating to identify ways to build a smarter food system that connects growers, makers, and eaters, delivering impact and value to all to build a plant-strong planet.

www.puris.com

About the Upcycled Food Association

The Upcycled Certified™ Program is the world's first third-party certification program for upcycled food ingredients and products. The flagship of the Program is the on-package mark, which helps retailers feature upcycled products on shelves, and indicates to consumers which products are Upcycled Certified™, providing the opportunity to prevent food waste with every purchase. Developed by the Upcycled Food Association, the mark highlights upcycled ingredients and products procured and produced with surplus food or food by-products from manufacturing, that use verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.

https://www.upcycledfood.org/

CONTACTS

PURIS Proteins
Lauren Perez, Chief of Staff
lperez@purisfoods.com
(305) 333-1220

Upcycled Food Association
Malorie Diamond
mdiamond@wherefoodcomesfrom.com
Where Food Comes From, Inc.
720-893-2778

SOURCE: PURIS