Amyris, Inc. (Amyris) has announced its zero-calorie sweetener has received GRAS designation.
The designation was approved by an independent expert panel based on FDA requirements. It allows the company to begin selling the product commercially; Amyris plans a launch during the fourth quarter of 2018.
“Our investors and prospective customers are as excited by this news as we are. We have the ability to deliver the lowest cost, natural sweetener to market," said John Melo, Amyris president and CEO. “We’ve known for a while that our plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener tastes really great - our testers have said it tastes just like sugar and that's because it's made naturally from sugarcane. Besides tasting great, it has zero calories and no chemicals that are bad for you or for our planet. Now, we can provide a better option for people, including those who may be managing diabetes or other personal, health concerns. Finally, there's a healthy and great tasting sweetener for everything from coffee, to barbecue sauce to the chocolates we cherish. Working with our partners, we will now be able to bring to consumers all the sweetness they desire but with none of the health dangers or bad aftertaste and, of course, with zero calories.”
