Sunflower Seed Butter
Encyclopedia
Sunflower butter, also known as sunflower seed butter, is a food paste made from the oil
of sunflower seed
s. Leading brands in the United States
include Sunbutter
and Trader Joe's
sunflower seed butter.
, particularly for those with peanut allergies
; they were unsuccessful, which was attributed to issues with its greenish appearance, "poor texture", and a bitter under-roasted taste.
Two decades later, researchers at the Agricultural Research Service
, working with a sunflower seed processor, developed a formulation that "resembled the texture, flavor, and nutty appearance of commercially
available peanut butter", focusing on the degree of roasting and the amounts of sugar, salt, and stabilizer
(hydrogenated cottonseed
and rapeseed oils).
By 2011, the results became available at major grocery retailers such as Kroger
, SuperValu
, Walmart, Target
, Trader Joe's
and Whole Foods
.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil expressed from sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient. Sunflower oil was first industrially produced in 1835 in the Russian Empire.- Composition :Sunflower oil is mainly a...
of sunflower seed
Sunflower seed
The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower . The term "sunflower seed" is actually a misnomer when applied to the seed in its pericarp . Botanically speaking, it is more properly referred to as an achene. When dehulled, the edible remainder is called the sunflower kernel.There are three types...
s. Leading brands in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
include Sunbutter
Sunbutter
Sunbutter is a brand of sunflower butter made from sunflower seeds, similar to peanut butter. It is manufactured by Sungold Foods in Fargo, North Dakota, and is promoted for use by people with nut allergies. It is available in varieties of creamy, crunchy, natural, and honey crunch. Its mascot is...
and Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. , Trader Joe's had a total of 365 stores. Approximately half of its stores are in California, with the heaviest concentration in Southern California, but the company also has locations in 30...
sunflower seed butter.
History
U.S. commercial versions of sunflower butter were first introduced in the early 1980s as an alternative to peanut butterPeanut butter
Peanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanuts, popular in North America, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia. It is mainly used as a sandwich spread, sometimes in combination as in the peanut butter and jelly...
, particularly for those with peanut allergies
Peanut allergy
Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy distinct from nut allergies. It is a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction to dietary substances from peanuts causing an overreaction of the immune system which in a small percentage of people may lead to severe physical symptoms. It is estimated to affect...
; they were unsuccessful, which was attributed to issues with its greenish appearance, "poor texture", and a bitter under-roasted taste.
Two decades later, researchers at the Agricultural Research Service
Agricultural Research Service
The Agricultural Research Service is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture . ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area...
, working with a sunflower seed processor, developed a formulation that "resembled the texture, flavor, and nutty appearance of commercially
available peanut butter", focusing on the degree of roasting and the amounts of sugar, salt, and stabilizer
Stabilizer (chemistry)
In chemistry a stabilizer is a chemical which tends to inhibit the reaction between two or more other chemicals. It can be thought of as the antonym to a catalyst...
(hydrogenated cottonseed
Cottonseed oil
Cottonseed oil is a cooking oil extracted from the seeds of cotton plant of various species, mainly Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium herbaceum...
and rapeseed oils).
By 2011, the results became available at major grocery retailers such as Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
, SuperValu
Supervalu (United States)
SuperValu Inc. is a United States grocery retailer and distributor. The corporation, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has been in business for over a century. It is the third-largest food retailing company in the United States , and ranks #51 on the Fortune 100 list.On June 2, 2006,...
, Walmart, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. , Trader Joe's had a total of 365 stores. Approximately half of its stores are in California, with the heaviest concentration in Southern California, but the company also has locations in 30...
and Whole Foods
Whole foods
Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits, vegetables...
.