The butterfly wings “seal of approval” that mark Non-GMO Project verified ingredients will once again adorn Valensa International’s Parry Organic Spirulina and Parry Organic Chlorella, as the application for renewal was recently granted, the company said.
 
According to Umasudhan, C.P., president and CEO of Valensa International, this mark gives manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to serve the growing demand for vegan and vegetarian lifestyles known to be deficient in plant-based sources of protein and vitamin B12 and require food sources from non-genetically modified organisms (GMO).
 
“Spirulina seems to get more attention, but chlorella has a great potential as a promising and sustainable microalgae superfood,” said Umasudhan, who has been a prominent figure in the microalgae commercialization field for the last 20 years. “When cultivated with natural light, chlorella is an important vegan source of vitamin B12 which is available in the most biologically nutritious form. This is exactly what the vegan and vegetarian populations need as a supplement to add vitamin B12 to their diets.”
 
Umasudhan also said that while the U.S. vegan and vegetarian market is exploding, other countries like Japan and South Korea lead the global consumption of chlorella. 
 
“Although both chlorella and spirulina have nearly 60% protein, chlorella has unique phytonutrients like CGF (chlorella growth factor) which make it useful for detoxification, cellular health, immune support and related anti-aging benefits,” Umasudhan said. “Our third party lab testing showed a gram of Parry Organic Chlorella provided a good source of B12 to supplement a vegetarian and vegan diet with the recommended daily allowance of this key vitamin.” 
 
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization that offers third-party non-GMO verification. The organization says Non-GMO Project Verified products are the fastest dollar growth trend in retail stores this year, with annual sales of Non-GMO Project Verified products exceeding $19.2 billion. 
 
Since 2003, Valensa International and sister-company, Parry Nutraceuticals, have complied with all international organic standards, and avoided using genetically-engineered ingredients. Since then, the company was the first vegan nutrient-based organic spirulina compliant with USDA-NOP regulations, and the first USP-verified spirulina. Now, Valensa International has Organic spirulina and chlorella with the Non-GMO Verification for U.S. and Canada distribution.