High-intensity sweetener brazzein protein is the first to attain FEMA GRAS status and to produce brazzein commercially globally.
Global sweetness and flavor innovator, Sweegen has announced that its highly sought-after sweet protein Ultratia™ brazzein technology received the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA).
Sweegen is the first to attain FEMA GRAS status and to produce brazzein commercially globally. The designation is important because it allows manufacturers to use Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors confidently, including the novel sweet protein brazzein in their product formulations.
Brazzein’s unique characteristics make it special, and its commercialization and scaling have been challenging until now. Brazzein is a rare sweet protein that originates from the fruit of the West African climbing plant, oubli. To produce brazzein sustainably, Sweegen uses a proprietary precision fermentation process, which creates clean high-purity ingredients.
Hadi Omrani, VP of Technical and Regulatory Affairs says “This important milestone in food and beverage creation symbolizes Sweegen capacity to scalable state-of-the-art technology. The FEMA GRAS status is a testament to the safety of brazzein as a flavor modifier that our customers can trust to explore new and exciting taste-modulating solutions”.
Sweetensify Flavors for taste modulation improves and modulates a variety of taste attributes, which can help brands push the boundaries of healthier product innovation. Brazzein’s exceptional formulation qualities inspired Sweegen to launch Sweentisify Flavors in April 2023. It is the newest flavor tool starring its novel sweet protein Ultratia brazzein, which also features thaumatin II and other unique proteins.
Sweet proteins like brazzein have an affinity for different taste receptors on the tongue, especially the receptor known as T1R3, which is associated with both umami and sweetness perception. Leveraging this unique attribute, Sweetensify Flavors will enable product developers to maintain the quality of characteristic flavors and sweetness while reducing the amount of sugar they use in products.
