Oobli, the first and only commercial-scale sweet protein technology platform known for its healthy sugar alternatives, announced that it has received a “no questions” letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), confirming that brazzein-54, a sweet-tasting protein naturally occurring in the oubli fruit, is Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) for use as a sweetener in food and beverages. brazzein-54 joins brazzein-53 and monellin as the third protein on the Oobli platform to gain FDA GRAS status.
As a nature-identical sweet protein platform, Oobli is dedicated to providing a complete suite of plant-derived sweet proteins. Brazzein-54 further expands Oobli’s platform, offering an additional option for food and beverage partners seeking healthier, sugar-free solutions.
“Oobli is changing the future of sweetness through the use of sweet proteins as a replacement for traditional cane sugar and other alternative sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and erythritol,” said Jason Ryder, Oobli Founder & CTO and Adjunct Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of California, Berkeley. “The oubli fruit sweet protein is one of several sweet proteins that is derived from fruits primarily found in West Africa and other equatorial environments. Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that deliver a sugar-like sweetness but don’t affect blood sugar, insulin, or the gut microbiome.”
Oobli is the first company to receive a “no questions” letter from the FDA for use of the oubli fruit sweet protein as a food ingredient. The company’s brand name and sweet protein platform, Oobli, was inspired by West African villagers who originally described the fruit as “so sweet it makes children forget their mother’s milk.”
“The ‘no questions’ letter from the FDA is further testament to the strong potential that sweet proteins have to disrupt our global dependence on sugar and alternative sweeteners,” said Ali Wing, CEO of Oobli. “The oubli fruit sweet protein can be safely used in a wide range of foods with support from the scientific community and the FDA. It can replace 70 % or more of sugar in products such as sodas, teas, baked goods, and more, making the opportunities to reduce our sugar consumption virtually endless.”
ADM, a global leader in innovatve solutions from nature, announced that spore-forming probiotic DE111™* (Bacillus subtilis) has received official approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a part of the Australian Department of Health. This extends DE111™’s availability into new regions**, following the recent approval from the Naonal Health Commission (NHC) in China.
“This is an important milestone for ADM, as it marks the first Bacillus subtilis strain to be approved by the TGA in Australia,” said Helen Hu, president of health & wellness APAC at ADM. “By expanding access to DE111™, we’re facilitating new innovation possibilies for our Australian customers, enabling the development of pioneering gut health-supporting products. Additionally, the continued approval of DE111™ by important government authorities demonstrates its high quality, safety and alignment with strict regulatory standards.”
Clinically documented results show that DE111™: Supports digestive health1 and helps support healthy immune function2,3. Can survive through the stomach and germinate in the small intestine4. Can support a healthy gastrointesnal (GI) tract, gut function and microbiome diversity. “DE111™ is a spore-forming probiotic, which means it can withstand harsh formulation environments that may otherwise damage conventional probiotics. This robustness is paving the way for new, convenient and enjoyable foods, beverages and dietary supplements that meet people where they are on their wellness journeys, especially as more consumers make the connection between their gut and digestive health and other aspects of well-being,” continued Hu.
In Australia, 81 % of consumers recognize a link between digestive health and overall well-being, and 76 % specifically see a connection between their digestive health and immune function5. Plus, 64 % of Australian consumers state that they have used probiotics/cultures to address digestive health concerns over the past 12 months5. Simultaneously, the Australian probiotic supplement market is anticipated to grow, with Euromonitor reporting a forecasted CAGR of 2.7 % between 2023 and 20286.
*DE111® is a trademark of Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes, Inc. in the US and other countries.
**Local regulations must be reviewed to confirm permissibility of ingredients for each food category.
1Labellarte, G., et al. (2019) Food and Nutrition Sciences, 10, 626-634
2Freedman, K.E., et al. (2021) Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 2453
3Townsend, J., et al. (2018) Sports, 6(3), 70
4Colom J.; et al. (2021) Front. Microbiol., 12:715863
5FMCG Gurus, Digestive Health Global Study, 2022
6Euromonitor Passport Data, Retail RSP Values, USD Millions, Fixed 2023 ex Rates, Constant 2023 Prices
