PureCircle Receives GRAS 'No Objection' Letter from FDA

CHICAGOPureCircle received a "No Objection" letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing the company to use its Rebaudioside D (Reb D) as a general purpose sweetener for foods and beverages.

Reb D naturally sweetens foods or beverages without adding a large amount of additional calories. Its commercialization will play an important role in extending  PureCircle's Stevia 3.0 innovation.

The GRAS (generally recognized as safe) confirmation of Reb D also follows a recent GRAS submission for PureCircle's Rebaudioside X (Reb X).

 We have invested over $300 million in a supply chain infrastructure capable of delivering breakthrough ingredient innovation," said Jason Hecker, vice president of global marketing and innovation, PureCircle. "We are proud to now work with our customers to turn this investment into breakthrough food and beverage solutions."

In 2012, PureCircle received a notice of U.S. patent protection for the company's commercially cultivated stevia leaf. This patent is related to a new plant variety with a high content of steviol glycosides, the sweet components of the stevia plant. PureCircle grows this new variety in various markets, including Paraguay and Kenya.