VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Burcon NutraScience Corp. announced on April 12 that it has received a co-investment from Proteins Industries Canada for the development of high-quality protein ingredients from sunflower seeds.

The $1 million project will see Burcon partnering with Pristine Gourmet, a processor of 100% pure Canadian non-GMO cold pressed virgin oils, to further develop Burcon’s novel process for the production of sunflower protein ingredients.  Burcon said premium sunflower protein isolate that contains greater than 90% protein purity and have exceptional taste and functionality has the potential of setting a new benchmark in the growing plant-based ingredients market. Leveraging Burcon’s core protein extraction and purification platform, the project intends to fine-tune and scale up an economical extraction and isolation process arising from the byproduct (pressed cake) of sunflower oil production.

“Sunflower protein checks all the boxes as an ideal source of plant-based protein,” said Peter H. Kappel, interim chief executive officer and chairman of the board at Burcon. “With this investment, Burcon and Pristine Gourmet can accelerate the development of value-added premium protein ingredients coming from a byproduct normally used as animal feed.”

Protein Industries Canada’s co-investment further supports Canadian innovation in the development of cutting-edge food technologies and patent-pending processes to develop products that are unique in the global plant-based protein marketplace.

“Canada’s plant-based food and ingredients sector has seen tremendous growth over the past several years, thanks largely to the innovation shown by our entrepreneurs and researchers,” said Bill Greuel, CEO of Protein Industries Canada. “The development of new ingredients, processing technologies and food products is key to seeing this growth continue. As our companies work together to bring these developments from idea to full-scale implementation, Canadians can look forward to a strengthened economy, new healthy and sustainable options on grocery store shelves, and an increased ability to meet the growing global demand for plant-based protein.”

He said sunflower protein ingredients are naturally non-GMO, have a favorable taste profile, low allergenicity, are particularly label-friendly, and easily understood and accepted by consumers.  

As the world’s third largest oilseed crop, behind soy and canola, sunflower seed has significant potential to be a major source of protein within the plant-based food revolution, the companies noted, adding that sunflower seed proteins produced using Burcon’s extraction technology exhibit unique and potentially valuable functional characteristics as well as a nutritional profile similar to that of canola protein. 

Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, which combine to account for nearly 60% of global sunflower production, other countries, including Canada, likely will need to increase sunflower seed production and exports in the coming months.