DENVER — Upcycled Certified™, a project by the Upcycled Food Association, revealed its efforts to prevent food waste are expected to have a greater impact than previously projected. With 141 products and ingredients now considered Upcycled Certified™, the association estimates it will help prevent 703 million pounds of food waste per year.

"Upcycled Certified™ has been even more successful than we imagined," said Turner Wyatt, chief executive officer, Upcycled Food Association. "The products and ingredients that have gone through the certification thus far span food, cosmetics, personal care, pet food, and are created by both small startups and global legacy brands. This represents a major shift in our consumer product and retail environments because for the first time, consumers can help to prevent food waste every time they walk into a grocery store."

Upcycled Certified™ seeks to help companies prevent unnecessary food waste through a rigorous certification process. More than half of consumers are more likely to buy a product if it bears the Upcycled Certified™ mark, according to a food waste study by Mattson.

"Not only is Upcycled Certified™ a critical way for this burgeoning industry to track it's impact, it’s also an effective way to educate an increasingly values-driven consumer base about the solvable problem of wasted food,” said Eva Goulbourne, food waste expert and board resident of Upcycled Food Foundation. “Even better, it offers them an immediate and tangible solution when they purchase Upcycled Certified™ products."

Currently, three pet food companies have a combined 19 Upcycled Certified™ products, including Chippin, Phelps Pet Products and Shameless Pets.

Read more about sustainability in the pet food and treat industry.