Sweet Green Fields, a leading U.S.-based global producer of high purity stevia extracts, announced it has been granted a patent in Japan for the company's proprietary high purity extraction process, the Fast Precipitation Process (FPP).
This innovative extraction process draws Rebaudioside-A (RA) out of mid-grade stevia extract and turns it into a highly purified powder equating to a purity grade of 95-percent or higher. This extraction method is 33 to 50-percent faster than the industry's conventional methods, resulting in a much more efficient and cost effective process. The process allows the company to utilize the technology for its single glycoside products like Sweetesse Stevia™ 97 as well as high purity composition such as the recently launched Optesse™ HPX and Optesse™ HPS, designed for superior taste and cost benefit in natural sugar and fructose blended products.
"At Sweet Green Fields, we are dedicated to offering food and beverage manufacturers the highest quality stevia extracts on the market and FPP allows us to deliver our premium RA products with superior value to manufacturers looking for better-for-you sweetening solutions," commented Dean Francis, chief executive officer of Sweet Green Fields. "This latest patent in Japan is another major step in securing global patents for our proprietary process to provide the best and most cost effective product to our partners worldwide."
The Japanese patent is the most recent in the company's extensive patent portfolio, including patents covering FPP in the U.S., Mexico, China, Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, Sweet Green Fields holds patents covering RA products of 99-percent purity or higher in both Australia and New Zealand. The company plans to work with partners in Japan to explore opportunities to leverage the more cost effective process.
A leading science-based global stevia producer, the company operates as a vertically integrated supplier, guaranteeing quality and control in every step of the process. With this latest achievement, Sweet Green Fields continues to demonstrate it is an industry leader in high purity stevia extraction powering innovation for the food and beverage industry.