FDA approves sweetener

Following its FDA GRAS filing in May, PureCircle has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a No Objection letter for the use of PureCircle Rebaudioside M (Reb M) as a general purpose sweetener for foods and beverages in the US.

High-purity Reb M (also known as Reb X) has a closer taste to table sugar than previous stevia ingredients, allowing for deeper calorie reductions in food and beverage products, particularly those that have higher levels of sweetness.

The discovery and development of Reb M resulted from a previously announced joint development and five-year supply agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. Together the companies are seeking global intellectual property coverage for the ingredient.

The clean, sugar-like sweetness of high-purity Reb M is appealing to consumers seeking naturally sweetened food and beverage formulations with few to no calories. Its commercialisation will havean important role in extending PureCircle’s breakthrough Stevia 3.0 innovation, which optimises taste in stevia-sweetened foods and beverages.

The GRAS confirmation of PureCircle Reb M adds to the company’s leadership position in bringing stevia innovation to the market. “Ongoing investment in supply chain assets and leaf development are in place to support the commercialisation of Reb M,” comments Jason Hecker, vice president global marketing and innovation, PureCircle. “We are excited by the opportunities Reb M presents for success within the framework of our Stevia 3.0 capabilities.”