PLT Health Solutions announced the publication of a third-party sustainability review of the production of its MegaNatural grape seed extracts.

The report was prepared by Botanical Liaisons, LLC, an international organization that helps companies in the natural products industry establish sustainable, responsible sourcing practices for botanical ingredients, considering environmental and social impact.

MegaNatural grape seed extracts are produced by California Natural Color, a division of the wine producer GALLO. MegaNatural ingredients are made in California from unfermented red and white varietal grape seeds via proprietary processes. The report covers sustainable practices for land use, water use, energy use, and social responsibility in growing and harvesting raw materials.

The company commissioned the report to communicate the value of sustainable practices of the ingredients, said Sid Hulse, vice president of product development for PLT Health Solutions. “From a business perspective, being stewards of the environment is essential to PLT’s future success. Plants are the raw materials of the ingredients we market, and without sustainable growing and harvesting practices, we risk not having these plants available in the future … PLT has worked with Botanical Liaisons on sustainability audits for botanical materials sourced from India, South Africa and Russia’s Altai Mountains. We are happy to have worked with Trish Flaster and Blake Ebersole on agricultural materials produced here in the United States.”

MegaNatural’s products, including MegaNatural-BP, MegaNatural Gold, and Activin, can all feature a Made in the USA designation. While the extracts all have similar phenol content, there are important differences which impact the functionality and application of these extracts. Each also has a unique portfolio of clinical research backing specific benefits. MegaNatural-BP, for instance, is supported by nine clinical studies demonstrating cardiovascular and other health benefits.

California Natural Color has control over the entire manufacturing process, from initial selection of wine grapes to the final extraction of finished material. The company goes beyond federal mandates and documents all aspects of growing, treating, and handling varietal grapes. California Natural Color can substantiate freshness, identity, domestic origin, and absence of chemical contaminants or genetic modification.

Highlights of the report include:

• 100% of Gallo’s California vineyards are certified sustainable under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
• Gallo reports recent reductions in energy consumption of 35%
• The company has more than 21 acres of solar panels across its winery properties, as well as major future planned expansion.
• About 13.56 million kilowatt hours of renewable electricity is generated annually, including solar, co-generation from biogas, and turbine across all Gallo sites.
• Non-chemical pest and weed controls have been adopted.

“One factor evident in consumer surveys and cited as an impediment to the growth of spending on sustainable products was consumers’ struggle to identify sustainable products and a lack of trust in corporations to make them,” said Hulse. “This points to a need for all of us in the natural products industry to communicate better. We need to be more explicit, more outspoken, and to focus on the value that sustainable products can deliver. This white paper is an attempt to help communicate the facts and the value of sustainability efforts on behalf of the California Natural Color Made in the USA line of grape seed extracts.”