Ingredion setting a new benchmark for Sustainably Sourced Ingredients in APAC

Ingredion Incorporated, a leading global provider of specialty ingredient solutions to the food and beverage manufacturing industry, is furthering its sustainability initiative in the Asia Pacific region. Under the 2030 All Life plan, which aims to bring together the potential of people, nature and technology to make all life better, the strategy allows Ingredion to further align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals while driving continuous innovation in its sustainability efforts.

Globally, the company is making rapid progress toward its key milestone of having 99% of all crops and 100 percent of the company’s Tier 1 crops (corn, tapioca, potato, stevia and pulses) to be sustainably sourced by 2025. This is made possible via partnership with local farmers and sourcing products sustainably as it seeks to advance its long-term sustainability goal in this region.

Regional initiatives

Ingredion’s latest investment in China, Shandong South production facility thrives on sustainable sourcing of non-GMO corn from local farmers. Shandong South uses advanced digital technologies and automation to produce corn-based native and modified starch products that maintain international quality standards and create winning textures for food and beverage manufacturers.

Furthermore, two recent product launches showcase how Ingredion’s innovation is helping to meet this goal:

• Next Generation Waxy Tapioca: Following 10 years of agricultural innovation, Ingredion unveiled a next generation waxy tapioca starch that addresses extreme food manufacturing requirements and supports sustainability trends. Ingredion leads the sustainability initiative through empowering local farmers, helping them develop environmentally sustainable practices that ensure the long-term production of next generation waxy tapioca. Our end-to-end process from crop to manufacturing are fully integrated in Thailand, mitigating shipping costs regionally and reducing the impact of transportation on the environment.
• Waxy Rice: Ingredion also sources almost 100% of its waxy rice through the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)—the first initiative globally to offer an assurance scheme by partnering with 500,000 farmers and offering certified waxy rice that is used to make Ingredion’s functional native starches and flours. The SRP reduces water usage, improves the security of communities and alleviates poverty in the long run.
• Stevia: Research into stevia also highlights its potential for sustainable sugar reduction. Ingredion conducted a life cycle assessment to quantify potential environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of a stevia from cradle to grave. The proprietary study measured the environmental impacts of sweeteners derived from stevia leaves from their extraction and processing to their distribution to consumers, using environmental indicators which includes climate change, land use, water scarcity and cumulative energy demand. The findings showed that fermentation and bioconversion technologies have significantly improved the sustainability of Reb M—i.e. fermented Sugarcane Reb M production reduces negative climate change impact by 82% compared to sugar, while bioconversion shows a 50% reduction.