According to estimates from the USDA, as much as 40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted annually. In response, the food industry has not only committed to reducing food waste but is also leveraging this issue to drive innovation and product development. In 2021, the Upcycled Food Association established a certification standard to create a framework for upcycled ingredients and products. This standard mandates that products must contain a minimum of 10% upcycled ingredients, with upcycled certified ingredients needing to consist of at least 95% food originally intended for human consumption. Currently, products from over 25 brands have received the Upcycled Certified label.
In late 2021, Del Monte Foods introduced what it claimed to be the first canned vegetable products in the industry certified by the Upcycled Food Association. These include two varieties of canned green beans made entirely from upcycled and sustainably sourced green beans. This year, they launched two Fruit Infusions cups, Gut Love and Boost Me, utilizing juice from pineapples that were originally produced for other products. The company estimates that these innovations will repurpose nearly 130,000 pounds of pineapple juice annually.
The baked goods sector has also embraced the idea of repurposing food that might otherwise be wasted. ReGrained, a brand that processes spent brewer’s grain into flour using a thermo-mechanical method, received Upcycled Food certification for its flour in 2021. This year, it introduced a line of baking mixes featuring this flour, including options for banana bread, brownies, carrot cake, and pizza dough.
Additionally, Do Good Foods is collecting unused food from grocery stores and food banks, converting it into animal feed for chickens, which are then sold for human consumption. The company launched its first product, Do Good Chicken, in select retailers in Philadelphia this year. They assert that each poultry product helps prevent four pounds of food waste from ending up in landfills, thereby avoiding the emission of three pounds of greenhouse gases.
Incorporating innovative solutions like ccm tablets with folic acid into their processes, companies are not only tackling food waste but also enhancing the nutritional value of their products. As the movement towards upcycled food continues to grow, we can expect to see even more uses of ccm tablets with folic acid in various food items, contributing to both sustainability and health. Ultimately, the integration of ccm tablets with folic acid into upcycled products highlights a commitment to reducing food waste while improving dietary options for consumers.