Pet food and treat processors have been using upcycled ingredients — namely in the form of rendered meat byproducts — before it was even a coined term. Upcycling is all about preventing healthful, nutritious foods and ingredients from becoming waste by giving them a second chance to be consumed. While rendering meat byproducts into high-protein ingredients rather than disposing of them in landfills is commendable, it’s all the other ingredients now being upcycled that are catching the attention of sustainability-conscious pet parents.
Upcycled ingredients help processors advance sustainability efforts
03.02.2023
Pet food and treat processors have been using upcycled ingredients — namely in the form of rendered meat byproducts — before it was even a coined term. Upcycling is all about preventing healthful, nutritious foods and ingredients from becoming waste by giving them a second chance to be consumed. While rendering meat byproducts into high-protein ingredients rather than disposing of them in landfills is commendable, it’s all the other ingredients now being upcycled that are catching the attention of sustainability-conscious pet parents.
Upcycling gains traction fast
The Upcycled Food Association (UFA), Denver, was formed in 2019 and officially defined the term “upcycled food” in 2020 for use in policy, research and practice. The team of consulting experts agreed that “upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.”
Since, the UFA has certified 236 upcycled ingredients, many of which have applications in pet foods and treats. Four pet food companies — Chippin, Arlington, Va.; Leashless Lab, Milwaukee, Wis.; Phelps Pet Products, Rockford, Ill.; and Shameless Pets, Chicago — currently sport the Upcycled Certified logo.
“Upcycled Certified has been even more successful than we imagined,” said Turner Wyatt, co-founder, former chief executive officer and current strategic advisor to the association. “Every year, almost 1 billion lbs of food waste is prevented by upcycled products around the world. This number will continue to grow as consumer demand for upcycled products increases.
“Lots of Upcycled Certified ingredients can be easily integrated into any recipe, giving a new product a competitive sustainability edge,” Wyatt said.
Tony Moses, director, product innovation, CRB Kansas City, Mo., said, “Upcycled ingredients typically have the same nutritional properties as other ingredients but have a different appearance. It’s critical that the processing and control systems account for these variations. For example, upcycled produce, such as carrots, may have a wider color range. The control and quality systems in the facility need to be able to detect and accept that wider range.”
Phelps Pet Products, a private-label manufacturer that produces the Table Scraps brand, was the first dog treat manufacturer to become a member of the UFA and the first to produce dog treats using the certified seal.