From Waste to Wonder; The Innovative Trend of Upcycling Almonds

by: Brittany Towers Lewis

Ever since I’ve entered the food industry, sustainability has been a hot topic for the food industry. Recently there has been a large growth in upcycling and growers are looking at ways to utilize parts of crops that would have otherwise gone to waste. This is exactly the approach that California almond growers have when it comes to their crops - zero waste and upcycling.

Upcycling is finding a value-added use for something that would have otherwise gone to waste. If you are like me, you likely upcycle in your daily life. For example, I use vegetable scraps to make stock, or banana peels to make plant food. I was really intrigued to learn more about how the Almond Board of California (ABC)has invested millions of dollars to research more uses for almond hulls to reap their nutritional and sustainability benefits. Almond hulls are the fuzzy outer portion that protects the almond prior to harvest. These hulls are traditionally used in animal feed, but ABC did not want to stop there, they wanted to uncover the full potential of almonds.

Almond hulls contain useful nutrients and can provide up to 26% fiber. According to a study by the American Society for Nutrition, less than 10% of US adults get enough fiber in their diets. To help determine the use of almond hulls beyond animal feed, ABC partnered with Mattson, a leading product development firm. Mattson has been testing out utilizing almond hulls in nutrition bars and baked goods to increase their fiber content. According to research conducted by Mattson, by replacing 5.2% of all-purpose flour with almond hull flour, a good source of fiber claim can be achieved. Along with fiber, the almond hulls provide antioxidants, which increase the nutritional profile as compared to traditional nutrition bars on the market.

When I first heard of this, I was curious how it would affect taste, as I’m sure many of you are probably wondering too - because even if something is healthy, if it tastes bad that is not ideal. The good thing about almond hulls is that their flavor pairs well with baked products. I learned that although almond hulls are slightly bitter, they contain hints of vanilla and fruit notes, which are appealing in bakery and other sweet applications. A bitter taste may seem like a negative, but Mattson and ABC are spinning the bitter flavor into something useful. Products such as coffee and tea are normally praised for their complex and bitter flavors, so the question they are posing is: how can we use almond hulls in products like these? By potentially roasting and grinding almond hulls they will deliver a delicious beverage with antioxidant properties like tea. That sounds like something I would love to try. More research is underway, but it does show promise.

I’m excited to see how the extensive amount of research in this area will help grow upcycling and hopefully make it engrained within the food industry. From the 14 different forms, like butter and flour, to upcycled almond hulls, who knew the small but mighty almond could have so many uses in your go-to snack products?