FDA Issues Wisdom Naturals "No Questions" Letter on Steviol Glycosides

Wisdom Natural Brands(Gilbert, AZ) received a 'no questions' letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in which an FDA expert panel of scientists granted Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status to the whole leaf steviol glycosides (with rebaudioside A and stevioside) in the company...s SweetLeaf Sweetener... extract. SweetLeaf Sweetener is Wisdom...s all-natural, zero-calorie, zero-carb and zero-glycemic index stevia sweetener.

"It is a tremendous victory for Wisdom Natural Brands and SweetLeaf Sweetener," said Wisdom...s founder, Jim May. "Scientists spent more than a year conducting extensive research to assure the safety and quality of our sweetener extract and today...s letter from the FDA authenticates what science has already proven '“ SweetLeaf Stevia...s high-intensity sweetener extract is a safe and pure alternative to sugar for consumers and food and beverage companies across the globe."

According to May, SweetLeaf Sweetener does not contain chemically altered glycosides. Instead, SweetLeaf Sweetener is produced by isolating and extracting the four sweetest glycosides produced naturally within the stevia leaf, resulting in a purer, sweeter-tasting stevia extract that does not require masking agents or other flavoring compounds.

According to Wisdom Natural Brands, SweetLeaf Sweetener is made entirely with high grade stevia leaves in a proprietary cool, purified water filtration process. No chemicals or alcohols ever touch the stevia leaves and no chemical residues are found in the extract or products made from it.

"It is the only truly 100% natural stevia sweetener available," said May. "And the entire extraction process supports natural and sustainability principles. The leftover leaf material is used to nourish livestock and the post-extraction water is saved and then trucked to agricultural fields to enrich the soil and growing fruits and vegetables. Even our tabletop sweetener packet box is made from 100% recycled material as part of our commitment."

SweetLeaf received GRAS status in March, 2008, when GRAS Associates, an independent panel of scientists, awarded SweetLeaf stevia GRAS status pursuant to FDA regulations. FDA regulations allow companies to independently determine by qualified food science experts, through a self-affirmation process, that an ingredient is generally recognized as safe.

Wisdom obtained a concurring opinion from the Life Science Research Office, which independently agreed with GRAS Associates... original findings. Wisdom submitted their GRAS notification to the FDA in February, 2009. The submission created two separate and distinct panels of scientists to determine the GRAS status of a product independently of one another and of the company making the product.

For more information on Wisdom Natural Brandsâ„¢, please visit www.WisdomNaturalBrands.com or www.SweetLeaf.com