Finally, food and beverage manufacturers can use hemp with certainty.
With over 20 years of experience in developing functional ingredients, Applied Food Sciences is now bringing confidence to beverage manufacturers looking to include hemp into their formulations. By securing a GRAS determination for their proprietary broad-spectrum hemp extracts, AFS.Hemp™ is now the first ingredient of its kind to be recognized as safe for food and beverage applications within the U.S.
The ingredient supplier identifies its suite of hemp extracts as "broad-spectrum," which means they contain 0.0% THC but still possess the CBD and other phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids all found in the original plant. Additionally, Applied Food Sciences produces its ingredients using European hemp varietals sourced from verified EU seed banks. All of AFS.Hemp™ ingredients are also available as USDA Certified Organic.
GRAS: A Regulatory Prerequisite
'GRAS' is an acronym for Generally Recognized As Safe, and it is a requirement by the FDA. Any ingredient that is intentionally added to food and beverages must be recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use.
"It is clear that the regulatory pathway for the legal use of CBD and hemp extracts in food and beverages will include the establishment of such ingredients as approved food additives or GRAS," explains Justin Prochnow, Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Greenberg Traurig is a law firm that is deeply experienced in advising and defending clients in the food and beverage industry. Prochnow notes, "AFS has a long history of supplying quality ingredients with self determined GRAS that set AFS apart from other ingredient suppliers."
What You Should Know: The USDA Rules on Hemp-Hybrids
All manufacturers of hemp products should be aware that in October of 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its interim final rules on the regulation of hemp production. The ruling puts pressure on much of the current U.S. hemp supply that is derived from hemp-marijuana hybrid strains that often contain higher amounts of THC than what is permitted.
The most significant impact on hemp farming is the newly defined sampling procedures, which require law enforcement agencies to collect samples of hemp 15 days prior to harvest. The samples will then be tested by a lab registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Should any material have a concentration of THC higher than 0.3%, the new rules stipulate that the entire harvest will have to be destroyed.
Supply chain consistency is at a premium during a time when the demand for CBD is so high. The solution, according to Applied Food Sciences, is sourcing from Europe. The EU has verified seed banks that help guarantee consistent and reliable strains of hemp grown with less than 0.3% THC. AFS has partnered with farms that have experience in growing true industrial hemp for decades as opposed to only a few years. Because of this, AFS can put manufacturers' minds at ease with their AFS.Hemp™ ingredients.
The AFS Advantage
Applied Food Sciences (AFS) has been in the food and nutrition ingredient industry for over 20 years. AFS understands what it takes to safely add an ingredient in food and beverages as well as nutritional supplements.
Applied Food Sciences manufactures AFS.Hemp™ in a FSMA-certified production facility which adds legitimacy to manufacturing ingredients for food and beverages. Having an NSF certification assures suppliers, retailers, regulators, and consumers that an independent organization has reviewed the product's manufacturing process and determined that the product complies with specific standards for safety, quality, and sustainability. Finally, AFS completes an analytical validation process for every batch of AFS.Hemp™ assuring that the levels of THC, CBD, phytocannabinoids, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial content are accurate in the finished product.
Take an in-depth look into AFS.Hemp™
AFS.Hemp™ comes in three unique delivery systems, all standardized to CBD content. While the cost per serving of active CBD is the same across all three products, each ingredient has advantages for any desired formulation.
- 6% CBD water-soluble oil is ideal for all liquid applications. AFS incorporates a proprietary herbemulsification technology for a neutral flavor profile and full solubility in beverages.
- 10% CBD water-soluble powder is ideal for powdered formulations like stick packs, bulk powders, and drink mixes. The powder has a neutral taste profile and full solubility. Because it is a dry ingredient, it supports a wide variety of beverage manufacturing processes.
- 20% CBD high-performance oil is ideal for supplements, tinctures, soft gels, topicals, and other nutritional products that require higher potency.
Contact AFS To qualify and receive samples of AFS.Hemp™ ingredients, please visit appliedfoods.com/hemp or call 1-800-345-9666.