We have a life cycle assessment showing that our algae oil is obtained from a renewable resource with 47% lower carbon footprint of canola oil and between 37% and 82% less than other commonly used plant oils4. It also consumes less water than other common cooking oils, like olive oil and sunflower oil, due to an efficient, closed fermentation system and the fact that the feedstock used in its production, Brazilian sugarcane, is rain-fed.2 Our algae oil also produces more oil per acre of land when compared to other high heat cooking oils like canola and sunflower oil5.

Algae oil is remarkably neutral in flavor and stable, which makes it ideal for batch preparation and helping reduce food waste in the kitchen. Our chef made batches of salad dressing, mayo, hummus, pesto, cookies and cakes with algae oil and recorded taste, texture, smell, and visuals at regular intervals over a few weeks. She compared recipes with algae oil to recipes made with ingredients like canola oil, butter, and/or eggs, and in some cases also compared the recipes to those with “alternative” dairy-free or vegan ingredients. She observed that recipes made with algae oil tasted as good, if not better, and retained their ideal texture and moisture level longer.

Algae oil is well suited to mimic or replace the creamy, silky, fluffy, or whipped textures that traditional or “alternative” dairy-free and vegan and eggs provide in cocktails, dips, dressings, baked goods, milks, and desserts. Oil is a key building block in a variety of foods, and with algae oil it’s possible to help shift diets away from environmentally-intensive products and create a delicious plant-based menu.

We also prioritize sustainability and user experience when it comes to packaging. Our Bag-in-Box package uses 75% less plastic when compared to a typical five gallon plastic jug. They also act as moveable refill stations for clean and easy refills while cooking on the line.

 

2 Bailey’s Industrial Oils and Fats. 2005. Volume 1: Edible Oil and Fat Products: Chemistry, Properties and Health Effects. pp 15-19. John Wiley and Sons.
4 Based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) of carbon emissions of our algae oil, compared to published LCA results for U.S. extracted canola oil and globally sourced olive, avocado and soy oils. The LCAs included the life cycle phases from field to bulk packaging.
5 Based on 2016 TerraVia Sustainability Report, Cradle-to-Gate Analysis, Reviewed by ISO 14040/44 standards, which compared water and land use of unrefined algae oil made from sugarcane in Brazil to publicly available data for other major commercial oils grown globally (e.g., Canola oil from Canada, Soybean oil from Brazil, among others) and relied on data from:
Source: Murphy, D. J. (2009). Global oil yields: Have we got it seriously wrong? and FAO Statistical Databases and Technical Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities
IndexMundi, 2014
Ruitenberg, 2014