FDA OK with SweetLeaf Stevia's GRAS Affirmation

GILBERT, Ariz. Wisdom Natural Brands received letter of no objection from FDA in response to the notification Wisdom filed with the agency in February 2009 regarding the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of its SweetLeaf Sweetener® extract. Wisdom submitted a complete dossier to FDA, including two independent GRAS affirmations conducted by GRAS Associates and Life Science Research Office, regarding the safety of whole leaf steviol glycosides with rebaudioside A and stevioside.

It is a tremendous victory for Wisdom Natural Brands and SweetLeaf Sweetener to be validated by the FDA, said Jim May, Wisdoms founder. Scientists spent more than a year conducting extensive research to assure the safety and quality of our sweetener extract and todays letter from the FDA authenticates what science has already provenSweetLeaf Stevias high-intensity sweetener extract is a safe and pure alternative to sugar for consumers and food and beverage companies across the globe.

FDA previously issued no objection letters to companies including Blue California, PureCircle and Cargill regarding GRAS affirmations for purified rebaudioside A (Reb A). However, Wisdom uses a proprietary cool water filtration process to isolate and extract four glycosides naturally produced within the stevia leaf, creating a combination glycoside extract.