Protein Industries Canada, Burcon, HPS and Puratos to jointly develop high-protein ingredients

Vancouver — Protein Industries Canada has launched a project to help meet the growing need for ingredients that will help meet demand for flavourful, affordable protein options, with a co-investment with partners Burcon NutraScience, HPS Food & Ingredients and Puratos Canada.

Burcon will extract hemp protein isolate, sunflower protein isolate and sunflower protein concentrate in order to increase the value of each hemp and sunflower flour.

In partnership with Burcon, HPS is assessing hemp crop varieties to determine which are best suited for the new ingredients, while also developing, commercializing and scaling the technology needed to process the hemp into the new ingredients.

Further along the value chain, Puratos and Burcon will each focus on using the hemp and sunflower ingredients in new food and beverage products, particularly baking applications, beverages and meat alternatives.

A total of $6.9 million has been committed to the project, with Protein Industries Canada committing $3 million and the partners together committing the remainder.