Sternchemie has received a GRAS “letter of no objection” from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its wide range of sunflower lecithins. GRAS stands for “Generally Recognised As Safe” and provides certainty and transparency for food manufacturers. With this determination, the FDA confirms that sunflower lecithin from Sternchemie, whether liquid, de-oiled or hydrolysed, can safely be used in a wide variety of food products.
Project Aims to Turn Sunflower Oil Industry Waste Into Meat Alternatives
A new research project called Taste2Meat is attempting to upcycle byproducts from the sunflower oil industry into sustainable meat alternatives. Five organisations — VTT, DSM, DIL German Institute of Food Technologies, University of Helsinki, and ABP Beef — have joined forces for the project. The intention is to create products that will allow consumers to make a “smooth transition” towards plant-based foods. Specifically, the project will work with sunflower press-cakes — an ingredient that is a sidestream of sunflower oil production. Globally, sunflower is the third-largest seed oil source, meaning these byproducts are widely available. Pea and rapeseed proteins are also being used as part of the project. Sunflower in plant-based products While sunflower oil has long been used in products such as dairy-free margarines, …