The San Francisco-based Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) on Tuesday launched a Certified Plant Based program, which specifies criteria to make a certified plant-based food claim.
Foods eligible for certification include meat alternatives such as plant-based meat, poultry, and fish; egg substitutes; milk alternatives; and other dairy alternatives such as plant-based cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream.
“The launch of the Certified Plant Based seal is an exciting next step for the fast-growing and innovative plant-based foods industry,” said Michele Simon, PBFA’s executive director. “As consumers are looking to purchase more plant-based options, this new seal ensures confidence in what ‘plant based’ means.”
According to PBFA-commissioned data from Nielsen released earlier this year, plant-based food sales grew by 20 percent from the previous year, outpacing every other food sector by 10 times. With the rise of plant-based foods such as plant-based yogurt, cheese and meats, 39 percent of Americans are trying to eat more plant-based foods, according to a 2017 Nielsen Homescan survey.
“The best way for consumers to navigate the marketplace and make confident purchasing decisions is to look for independent certification of the plant-based claim,” said Steve Taormina, manager for NSF International’s Consumer Values Verified Program, the certification agency chosen by PBFA.
The Plant Based Foods Association represents 126 plant-based food companies.
