Life Cycle Analysis by Planet FWD Defines Sustainability of COMET's Arrabina™ Prebiotic Fibers
Results show that Arrabina™ has 23 times lower carbon footprint compared to Beta-Glucan and 5 times lower than inulin
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., April 22, 2024 /CNW/ -- On this Earth Day, COMET, manufacturer of Arrabina™ dietary fibers, announces results of a life cycle analysis (LCA) that highlights the efficacy of their sustainable practices and the reduced carbon footprint of upcycled ingredients.
COMET CEO Loula Merkel describes the rationale for undertaking this analysis: "We have a commitment to sustainability, but we felt it was important as a young company to establish good metrics and how we compare in the industry. We've substantiated that Arrabina™ has many health and wellness benefits for our customers, and now this LCA report validates the benefits to the planet's health. We believe these metrics are important, especially for consumers looking for transparency."
This assessment undertaken by Planet FWD, a leader in the LCA industry, measured the complete cradle-to-gate life cycle of the ingredient with a comparison of Arrabina™ to chicory root-based inulin and other similar dietary fibers. (See Image 1)
Further results demonstrate that replacing chicory root inulin for Arrabina™ in a cereal bar formulation markedly reduces the product's carbon footprint. On the contrary, use of recycled packaging alone, did not show a difference in environmental footprint for the prebiotic bar, suggesting that the ingredient's impact is more significant than the packaging in this context. (See Image 2)
Using Arrabina™ in consumer products can reduce emissions, contributing to the overall sustainability of the product life cycle. Loula Merkel remarks: "Arrabina™'s Upcycled Certification, along with our validated low LCA score, helps our customers meet their carbon goals and better speak to today's environmentally-conscious consumers that demand transparency."
According to a 2023 Innova Market Research study, 43% of consumers consider upcycled products more appealing than other products, up from 35% the previous year and aligning with consumers' growing interest in sustainability. This coincides with SPINS market data showing that unit sales of Upcycled Certified snacks increased by 133% in 2023.
Andrew Richard, COMET Chief Technology Officer, is the innovator of the upcycling technology that brought Arrabina™ dietary fibers to market. He describes that: "By upcycling the abundant and naturally-occurring plant nutrition currently underutilized in our food system, we are creating a sustainable alternative that is scalable to the needs of our growing planet." He concludes: "This LCA study simply quantifies and enumerates the value we know this technology can have on the ingredient market, on consumer health, and ultimately on the Earth."
Study Sourcing:
This comparison references Product LCA cradle-to-gate analysis conducted by Planet FWD on November 2, 2023 and has been reviewed for comparable units of analysis, scope, and methodology.
About COMET
COMET is an award-winning food ingredients company based in London, Ontario, and Schaumburg, Illinois. COMET is the only company with the IP and expertise needed to perfect nature's best fiber, arabinoxylan, an FDA-recognized fiber with superior tolerance in the gut and clinically proven prebiotic health benefits. COMET's proprietary line of Arrabina™ arabinoxylan dietary fibers are upcycled certified and can easily be added to any food or beverage application. To learn more about COMET, visit http://comet-bio.com/.
Media Contact
Hannah Ackermann
Registered Dietitian & Director at COMET
Hackermann@comet-bio.com
317-750-7158
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SOURCE COMET
