GLG Life Tech Corporation (GLG), a global leader in the agricultural and commercial development of high-quality natural sweeteners, announces that the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has issued a Generally Recognized as Safe ("GRAS") letter of no objection covering several of GLG's high-purity stevia extracts (Filing No. GRN 493).
These extracts, each containing over 95% steviol glycosides (predominantly rebaudioside A and stevioside), include GLG's Rebsweet and AnySweetPLUS stevia extract products (with rebaudioside A content ranging from 50% to 85%).
The GRAS program is an FDA-approved process that enables companies to conduct independent GRAS determinations through consultations with qualified experts to determine that an ingredient satisfies the FDA's safety criteria. Accordingly, GLG engaged GRAS Associates, LLC, who convened an independent panel of expert scientists to spearhead the safety assessment and compile a dossier describing the months-long study and its results. GLG subsequently submitted that dossier to the FDA for review, resulting in the FDA's letter of no objection.
The latest GRAS designations further GLG's commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards for its products. To date, it has received five GRAS letters of no objection covering an array of high-purity stevia products, with a sixth GRAS determination pending FDA review (for high-purity rebaudioside M) and two other GRAS projects currently underway (for high-purity rebaudioside C and D). Additionally, GLG recently announced its submission of a GRAS notification to the FDA for its Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit) extract products. GLG has the largest number of stevia products certified under the GRAS process, and remains committed to ensuring that each of its naturally-sourced sweetener products conforms with the GRAS compliance standards.