BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, US — SuperGrain+ flour developed by ReGrained has become the first ingredient to receive the certification created by the Upcycled Food Association. The flour is derived from the byproduct of beer brewing and is rich in protein, dietary fiber and prebiotics, according to the company.

The United States generates more than 20 billion pounds of brewer’s spent grain each year, which often is wasted or used as feed. ReGrained uses patented technology, co-developed with the US Department of Agriculture, to produce SuperGrain+ flour. Every pound of the product prevents the carbon dioxide equivalent of burning 1 pound of coal and saves more than 300 gallons of water, according to the company.

“We are honored to achieve the first upcycled ingredient certification and are excited to support our partners in developing certifiable finished products,” said Dan Kurzrock, co-founder and chief executive officer of ReGrained. “Nearly 35% of the world’s food is lost or wasted, which generates 8% of greenhouse gas emissions and poorly uses our planet’s precious resources. Bringing tasty and nutritious upcycled foods to every aisle of the grocery store combats this global issue. ReGrained has been leading the way since we baked our first loaf of upcycled bread in 2011 and will continue for decades to come.”

The Upcycled Food Association earlier this year introduced its certification mark to provide consumers with clear guidance about the presence of upcycled food ingredients in a range of products, including food and beverages, pet food, dietary supplements and more. A goal of the seal is to expand awareness about upcycled food. The seal follows more than a year of collaboration between multiple stakeholders to develop the Upcycled Certification Standard, which offers a set of rules establishing definitions for upcycled ingredients and products, protocols for incorporating them into products and the ability for certified companies to use the new consumer-facing upcycled food seal on products.

ReGrained said it is developing additional upcycled ingredients for food manufacturing and foodservice customers, including oats from milk production and pulp from juicing. The company collaborates with partners on product concepting, menu strategy and prototype development at its Upcycled Food Lab.