CK Ingredients inks deal to distribute Parabel’s duckweed protein in Canada
Parabel has spent approximately seven years researching and commercializing its flagship ingredient Lentein, a protein extracted from Lemnaceae, which also goes by the names duckweed and water lentil.
The company touts this plant’s nutritional profile, explaining that it contains essential amino acids and BCAAs comparable to whey protein. Additionally, the plant doubles its biomass in 24 – 36 hours, allowing for harvest every day and leaving a low carbon footprint.
It received a no objections letter from the FDA regarding its Generally Recognized as Safe (or GRAS) status back in August 2018. More recently, it got the heads up from Canada’s authority, Health Canada.
“In Canada, there is the novel food law. They have submitted a declaration to us indicating that water lentils are not considered a novel food, as it is a traditional food in South East Asia,” Valentina Carpio, regulatory affairs and products manager, told NutraIngredients-USA.
“And since our product is minimally processed, and it is a natural, non-GMO water lentil, they have recognized it as a traditional food,” she added.
That means as long as Lentein is used as a food ingredient, there shouldn’t be a problem marketing it as a product for consumption, Carpio explained.
READ MORE: Parabel CEO: ‘Duckweed has been in literature for years, but nobody has learned to develop it’
Distribution with CK Ingredients
CK Ingredients will distribute the full range of Parabel’s Lentein plant protein ingredients into the nutraceutical sector and will also be involved in areas like application development, regulatory, logistics and traceability.
“Parabel’s innovative Lentein plant protein perfectly complements our existing raw material portfolio. In today’s marketplace, novel plant protein sources are experiencing strong demand and our clients are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves on-shelf and online,” said Michael Chernyak, president of CK Ingredients. “The timing of this partnership with Parabel could not be better.”
Habbo de Vaere, VP of global sales at Parabel, said: “CK are the perfect match for us. They are established in Canada where Lentein just received full regulatory approval and they serve the industries Parabel is operating in.”
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