Zero-Calorie Fruit-Based Sweetener Gets FDA GRAS

BioVittoria has received an FDA letter of no objection that its fruit-derived
zero-calorie Fruit-Sweetness sweetener is GRAS (generally recognized as safe),
the company said on Monday.

Food and beverage manufacturers have been increasingly looking for natural
sweeteners for their formulations as public interest in natural food and
beverage products has grown. As natural, zero-calorie stevia-derived sweeteners
moved into the limelight in 2009, BioVittoria will be hoping that
Fruit-Sweetness can tap into the growing interest in this area in 2010.

BioVittorias CEO David Thorrold said: This final piece of regulatory
compliance is what the large food and beverage companies have been waiting for.

The New Zealand-based company suggests that the sweetener, made from
concentrated monk fruit, or luo han guo, could be blended with a range of
natural sweeteners, including sugar, Reb A, or fruit concentrates in
formulations to improve taste and cost efficiency.

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