New safety approval provides more markets for hemp products

By Angela Brown

Source: portagedailygraphic.com

Alphonsus Utioh, product development manager, right, and product development consultants, 

Dagmara Head, left, and Janice Meseyton, centre, show some items made with hemp 

at the Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie ...Staff photo by Angela Brown

Hemp Oil Canada Inc., which is based in Manitoba, announced this week that it is the first in the world to gain international food safety accreditation for hemp food.

"This is good news for Hemp Oil Canada and the hemp industry as a whole," said Alphonsus Utioh, product development manager with Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie, "because it would allow this company to be able to access more markets for companies that require hemp suppliers with this accreditation."

The FDC makes a number of hemp products itself and encourages the promotion for the hemp industry.

"The Food Development Centre has worked with the hemp industry for quite some time now," said Utioh. "We have worked with the industry to produce the various products."

The Food Development Centre is currently using hemp product in the development of muesli cereal mix, which will be coming out into the market sometime in the future.

As well, the FDC has been using hemp for the development of its nutrition bars.

"Hemp is known for its Omega-3 and Omega-6 — for the Essential Fatty Acids," said Utioh. "The hemp protein also has high digestibility value." Utioh explained with Hemp Oil Canada receiving International food safety accreditation it will encourage more companies to develop product with hemp. "The accreditation is to recognize food safety worldwide," he said. "It allows this company to access a world market using this accreditation."

While many companies already use hemp for products they develop, with Hemp Oil Canada receiving the accreditation it will mean there will be more opportunities for food developers to market their hemp food product to international markets.

"It is a recognized food-safety world-wide," said Utioh. "So it allows this company to access a world market using this accreditation. This is another benefit to Hemp Oil Canada, in the sense that they have this accreditation and it ensures their commitment to provide safe and high quality hemp food products."