Reb M stevia sweetener approved by FDA

PureCircle’s Rebaudioside M (Reb M) has been classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has issued a No Objection letter for the use of Reb M as a general sweetener for foods and beverages in the United States.

According to the company, high-purity Reb M (also known as Reb X) tastes more like table sugar than other stevia ingredients, allowing for greater calorie reductions in food and beverage products, particularly those with higher levels of sweetness.

PureCircle and The Coca-Cola Company discovered and developed Reb M through a joint development and five-year supply agreement. The two companies are jointly seeking global intellectual property coverage for the ingredient.

“Ongoing investment in supply chain assets and leaf development are in place to support the commercialisation of Reb M,” said Jason Hecker, vice president global marketing and innovation, PureCircle.

“We are excited by the opportunities Reb M presents for success within the framework of our Stevia 3.0 capabilities.”