It makes plant-based burgers look and taste better.
It gives plant-based cheeses enhanced colour and texture.
It helps with sodium reduction in seasonings, condiments and sauces.
And it can add natural preservatives, nutritional value, protein and antioxidants to any food it's in, including desserts, breads and cereals.
It's the wonder puree ingredient that Summerland's Crush Dynamics makes from discarded grape skins and seeds and cranberry skins after the fruit has been smashed to turn into wine, sauce or juice.
Crush Dynamics has been a success story for seven years, but it's also just scored a company-propelling coup by partnering with global specialty ingredients distributor Barentz.
Barentz will help Crush Dynamics get iits proprietary, patented bioactive food ingredient into more and more foods around the world.
"Upcycled ingredients are a critical aspect of our shared commitment to improving the sustainability of our food system on a global basis," said Crush Dynamics advisor Julie Mann.
"We look forward to working with Barentz and their customers to create better-for-you, next-generation food products that are better tasting, yet simultaneously lower in sugar and sodium."
Barentz's list of customers and contacts is extensive world-wide, giving Crush Dynamics more reach.
"Through Barentz's offering of Crush Dynamics' unique portfolio, we will help clients sustainably and successfully reduce salt and-or sugar, boost nutritional content and optimize overall taste and liking of formulas," said Andrea Carlson, Barentz president of human nutrition.
Some of Crush Dynamics biggest customers to date are Big Mountain Foods in Vancouver, which makes plant-based burgers, sausages and ground meats and Lumi Foods, also in Vancouver, which makes Blue Heron vegan cheeses.
Crush Dynamics uses an exclusive fermentation technology to turn the grape skins and grapes and cranberry skins into the healthy food ingredient that has an array of uses.
The resulting puree gives plant-based meats a natural red colour when raw and then cooks to brown, just like regular meat.
The puree can also help with sodium and sugar reduction, improved texture and nutritional value, protein, dietary fibre and antioxidants in vegan cheese, seasoning, spices, drinks, desserts, breads, cereals, condiments and sauces.
It's a huge and growing market as food manufactures make more vegan and vegetarian options and consumers seek out products that are good for their health and good for the planet.
If tossed in the garbage or composted, grape skins and seeds and cranberry skins contribute to greenhouse gases.
Thus, Crush Dynamics taking the skins and seeds and turning them into a food ingredient is innovative and environmentally friendly.
Crush Dynamics started its life as Winecrush Technologies because it was collecting the leftover and unwanted grape skins and seeds from the winemaking process from various Okanagan wineries.
When the company added cranberry skins from farms in the Fraser Valley it decided to change its name to the more encompassing Crush Dynamics.
"It's a privilege to work with innovators like Barentz who are delivering on the promise of upcycling for food producer customers globally," said Crush Dynamics CEO Kirk Moir.
"Our mission is to enable our customers to deliver healthier formulations cost effectively by using our multi-function, natural, upcycled ingredients."
