Burcon NutraScience Corporation
Burcon Announces Technology Breakthrough - Introduces New CLARISOY(TM) - Soy Protein Isolate
Vancouver, Canada, November 4 (ots/PRNewswire)
Burcon NutraScience Corporation (TSX-V: BU) announces today that it has developed a revolutionary soy protein isolate. Burcon has branded this new soy protein isolate as CLARISOY(TM).
CLARISOY(TM) is 100% soluble and transparent in acidic solutions, enabling applications down to pH 2.5. CLARISOY(TM) also has exceptional flavour characteristics and is heat stable permitting hot fill applications. Burcon's CLARISOY(TM) shows great promise for use in a variety of healthy and great tasting food and beverage applications and is expected to be price competitive as well which should be of great interest to food and beverage manufacturers currently dealing with high dairy protein prices.
Plant proteins represent an inexpensive and environmentally sound source of functional and nutritious food ingredients. Plant proteins have long been used as an indirect source of protein for humans through their use as a feed ingredient for cattle, pigs and chickens. Today, plant proteins can be grown, isolated and purified, converting them to high value food ingredients for human consumption at a fraction of the environmental and economic cost of animal proteins.
"For the past ten years, Burcon has focused its efforts on developing the world's first commercial canola proteins, Puratein(R) and Supertein(TM). Today's announcement demonstrates Burcon's ability to leverage our talented team of scientists and engineers to exploit a second major opportunity. That opportunity is the existing multi-billion dollar global soy protein market," said Johann F. Tergesen, Burcon's President and C.O.O. adding, "Our new CLARISOY(TM) soy protein isolate product and the associated extraction technology offer another major platform for Burcon to earn revenue and to pursue future opportunities."
Burcon also announces today that it has filed patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to protect its newly developed novel processes for the production of plant proteins including acid soluble soy protein isolates, as well as to protect CLARISOY(TM), the product derived there from, and to protect the functional and nutritional applications of CLARISOY(TM) as an ingredient in foods and beverages. Consistent with Burcon's previous patents and patent applications, Burcon will also file for protection internationally under the patent cooperation treaty of the World Intellectual Property Organization to protect these new inventions. As at the date of this announcement, Burcon now has 68 issued patents worldwide, and well in excess of 200 additional patent applications, including 8 issued U.S. patents and 48 U.S. patent applications.
About Burcon NutraScience
Burcon is a research and development company developing a portfolio of composition, application, and process patents around its plant protein extraction and purification technology. The goal of Burcon's research is to develop its patented process to utilize inexpensive oilseed meals for the production of purified plant proteins that exhibit valuable nutritional, functional or nutraceutical profiles. Burcon, in conjunction with Archer Daniels Midland, is currently focusing its efforts on developing the world's first commercial canola proteins, Puratein(R) and Supertein(TM). Canola, recognized for its nutritional qualities, is the second-largest oilseed crop in the world after soybeans. Burcon's goal is to develop Puratein(R) and Supertein(TM) to participate with soy, dairy, and egg proteins in the expanding multi-billion-dollar protein ingredient market, with potential uses in prepared foods, nutritional supplements, and personal care products.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"Johann F. Tergesen"
Johann F. Tergesen
President & Chief Operating OfficerThe TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of the content of the information contained herein. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our products, statements about future market conditions, supply and demand conditions, and other expectations, intentions and plans contained in this press release that are not historical fact. Our expectations regarding the prospect for future success depend upon our ability to develop and sell products, which we do not produce today and cannot be sold without further research and development. When used in this press release, the words "goal," "intend," "believes" and "potential" and similar expressions, generally identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. In light of the many risks and uncertainties surrounding the development of a source of protein from canola meal, you should understand that we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release will be realized.
For further information: Jade Cheng, Chief Financial Officer, Burcon NutraScience Corporation, +1-604-733-0896, +1-888-408-7960 toll-free, jcheng@burcon.ca, http://www.burcon.ca; AXINO AG, Sven Olsson, Investor Relations Europe, Konigstrasse 26, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany, Tel. +49-711-25-35-92-30, Fax +49-711-25-35-92-33, olsson@axino.de, http://www.burcon.net
Contact:
For further information: Jade Cheng, Chief Financial Officer, Burcon
NutraScience Corporation, +1-604-733-0896, +1-888-408-7960 toll-free,
jcheng@burcon.ca; AXINO AG, Sven Olsson, Investor Relations Europe,
Konigstrasse 26, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany, Tel. +49-711-25-35-92-30,
Fax +49-711-25-35-92-33, olsson@axino.de