Burcon pea proteins receive self-affirmed GRAS status

25 Jun 2018 --- Burcon NutraScience’s Peazazz and Peazac pea proteins have received self-affirmed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status, and the company has officially submitted to the US FDA a formal GRAS Notification dossier. Burcon engaged experts to proactively gather and provide the scientific evidence necessary to affirm this important FDA designation recognizing their Peazazz and Peazac pea proteins as safe, the company notes.

Obtaining GRAS status is essential for the acceptance and use of these protein ingredients by leading food and beverage companies. GRAS status removes regulatory barriers for food innovators, ingredient buyers, and mass-market foodservice buyers to use Burcon’s Peazazz and Peazac pea proteins in their product offerings. 

The demand for pea protein is expanding rapidly and is now an in-demand ingredient for fast-growing specialty food companies, as well as large-scale multinational consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies seeking to respond to consumer demand for more natural and high-nutrition products.

For a substance to be considered GRAS, scientific data and information about the intended use of the substance must be widely known and there must be a consensus among qualified experts that the data and information establish the substance is safe under the conditions of its intended use. 

Burcon’s Peazazz and Peazac pea proteins are considered GRAS as of 18 June 2018, for their intended applications. 
 
Consumer demand for great-tasting, nutrient-dense foods is at an all-time high and Burcon is committed to bringing its novel pea protein ingredients to global markets, says the company. 

Burcon is a pioneer in the development of novel plant-based protein ingredients and has developed technologies for the production of value-added proteins from a variety of plant-based sources including soy; pulses (including pea); canola; hemp and flax, to name a few. 

Pea offers important advantages to consumers, and to farmers as its production is environmentally friendly while being an excellent source of protein, with numerous applications in dairy-free foods, vegetarian foods, sports and slimming foods, senior nutrition and clinical nutrition. Burcon’s Peazazz pea protein has uniquely clean flavor characteristics and exceptional solubility and is well-suited for use in beverages, alternative dairy products, meal replacements as well as a variety of other healthy and great tasting food and beverage product applications. 

“The announcement marks an important milestone in the development of Burcon’s novel pea proteins Peazazz and Peazac,” says Johann Tergesen, Burcon’s President and Chief Operating Officer. 

“We are looking forward to offering our novel pea protein products to customers and consumers in Canada, North America and worldwide,” he concludes.