Cargill secures GRAS no objection letter for sweetener product

Cargill has secured a no objection letter from the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for its EverSweet sweetener.

This letter qualifies the sweetner to be used in food and beverages, catering to consumer demand for reduced calories while maintaining taste.

Launched last year, EverSweet is produced with the same sweetness molecules found in stevia leaf, namely Reb M and D.

The company claimed that the product offers improved sweetness intensity and quality and faster sweetness onset without the bitterness or off-note aftertaste found in other stevia products.

Cargill and its partner Evolva produce Reb M and D through fermentation process as stevia plant can produce only trace amounts of these molecules.

Fermentation process enables a sweetener with Reb M and D molecules to be commercially and sustainably feasible while delivering the same sweetness.

Cargill vice-president for health ingredients David Henstrom said: "We are thrilled to bring this innovation to our customers at a crucial time in history, when they are looking to deliver great tasting products with deeper sugar and calorie reductions.

"It also affirms our leadership position in both the sweetener and stevia industries and opens the doors to customers seeking alternatives to sugar."

Apart from EverSweet, Cargill has a range of sweeteners made from the stevia leaf, including Truvia and ViaTech.