LOS ANGELES, CA - With upcycling becoming a major focus for consumers, POM Wonderful’s latest product will be even more enticing. The supplier recently launched its new Pomegranate Fiber, which is upcycled from POM Wonderful pomegranate husks after juicing. It is a GRAS-certified, fiber-dense powder that can be used in a variety of food applications.

“We are thrilled to add another specialty ingredient to our lineup that is versatile and upholds our commitment to nourishing naturally,” said Jason Horvath, Sales Manager for POM Wonderful Specialty Ingredients. “With the Pomegranate Fiber, we are providing better-for-you options to the food and beverage industry while continuing our work toward a zero-waste future.”

Pomegranate Fiber is made under POM Wonderful’s growing Specialty Ingredients division, which provides raw ingredients to suppliers across the food and beverage industry. According to a press release, Pomegranate Fiber has numerous culinary benefits—it can help draw out flavor and color, and in baked goods, the powder enhances browning, which ultimately reduces cook times.

POM Wonderful uses a proprietary method to press whole pomegranates to create POM 100% Pomegranate Juice. After the initial press, the husks are then pressure extracted to create POMxL, a concentrated liquid extract that is also part of POM’s specialty ingredient lineup—the remaining pomegranate husk is dried and milled to create Pomegranate Fiber.

This news comes on the heels of POMxL’s Upcycled Certification, further underscoring POM Wonderful’s commitment to sustainability and product innovation. Other sustainability initiatives include the Innovation Challenge, the transition from 16 oz bottles of POM Wonderful juices to 100 percent rPET, and the completed work on its solar farm.

To date, The Wonderful Company and its owners, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, have invested more than $1.3 billion in environmental sustainability initiatives to help fight climate change. This commitment includes the historic $750 million gift from the Resnicks to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in support of the school’s environmental sustainability research.

To stay on top of the latest sustainability strategies in fresh produce, keep reading ANUK.