Frequently Asked Questions
One of our commitments is to reducing our waste and using recyclable material wherever possible. We prioritise glass, cardboard & paper materials over plastic. Please look for the recycling symbol on our individual products for clarity.
For our non-dairy milks in particular it can be more complicated…
To enable a 12 month stable shelf life, our milks undergo the UHT process (ultra-heat treatment) and must be packaged into an aseptic carton (CombiBloc by SIG). The aseptic carton is made from a combination of cardboard, foil & a plant-based polymer lining. Currently there are no other packaging options (i.e. glass, cardboard, plastic) that enable the products to be long life & shelf stable.
Each individual component of the packaging is 100% recyclable as long as it is separated out. Unfortunately, at the moment there is limited ability to recycle these packages in Australia due to changes in the recycling industry. Please check with your local council to see if they currently collect & recycle this type of carton.
We are constantly looking for ways to improve our packaging sustainability and we are a member of the Australian Packaging Covenant, the Australasian Recycling Label Program and the REDcycle program. We are working with your packaging and recycling network to improve recycling options and are expecting further recycling options for these cartons to become available in the future. We recommend anyone passionate about recycling to engage with their local members, councils and governments to push the agenda of furthering recycling projects in Australia forward.
All of our plant milks are heated during the manufacturing process for a short time. They are then cooled, chilled, and finally ultra-heat treated (UHT) to high temperatures for a very short time. This process combined with the specific packaging makes the products shelf stable and not require refrigeration when unopened.
Yes, every shipment of rice we receive is tested for heavy metals including arsenic. The test results are always well under the level accepted (1mg/kg) by FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand).
We do not add cane sugar to any PureHarvest product. Our Organic Almond Milk Original & Organic Soy Milk Original both have a small amount of Rice Syrup added for a touch sweetness. Rice Syrup is 99.5% fructose free and is made from 100% whole brown rice.
All of our other plant milks are unsweetened products. Any sweetness in the product occurs naturally during the manufacturing process from the raw ingredient starches (e.g oats, rice) converting to maltose, a complex sugar that can, under guidance, be consumed by diabetics and people on ‘low sugar’ diets.
We do gently heat and filter our organic honey, but never above 45°C.
We do not use sulphur or any other chemical in the production of our products.
All of our products are certified organic by the Australian Certified Organic (ACO) body. The ACO standards specifically cover the protection of animal welfare and unjust exploitation of fauna. Independent auditors regularly visit all of our suppliers farms & sites to ensure these standards are being met.
Our suppliers also implement their own strict “No Monkey” policy throughout their farms. Only legal human adult labour is used in the harvesting of the coconuts we source for PureHarvest products.
