U.S. FDA issues GRAS No Objection Letter for EverSweet™ next-generation sweetener

MINNEAPOLIS, June 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) No Objection Letter, for Cargill's next-generation sweetener, EverSweet, qualifying it for use in food and beverages.

This milestone brings food and beverage companies one step closer to gaining access to a sweetener option that satisfies consumer desires for reduced calories without sacrificing great taste.

EverSweet was introduced in October 2015 and is made with the same sweetness found in the stevia leaf, Reb M and Reb D.  EverSweet provides a great taste with better sweetness intensity, faster sweetness onset and improved sweetness quality - without the bitterness or off-note aftertaste common with other stevia sweeteners.

With many successful years of the stevia leaf sweetener business under its belt, Cargill, along with partner Evolva (SIX: EVE), can produce the stevia plant's sweetest molecules, Reb M and Reb D, through fermentation. Because the stevia plant can produce only trace amounts of these molecules, fermentation allows for a sweetener with Reb M and D to be commercially and sustainably viable and still deliver a sweetness identical to what is found in a leaf.

"We are thrilled to bring this innovation to our customers at a crucial time in history, when they are looking to deliver great tasting products with deeper sugar and calorie reductions," said Cargill vice president for health ingredients, David Henstrom. "It also affirms our leadership position in both the sweetener and stevia industries and opens the doors to customers seeking alternatives to sugar." 

In addition to EverSweet, Cargill also offers a portfolio of stevia sweeteners made from the stevia leaf, including Truvia^® stevia leaf extract and ViaTech^® stevia sweeteners.

About Cargill

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 152,000 employees in 67 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

This press release contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like believe, assume, expect or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments. 

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