HB Natural Ingredients receives “no objection” GRAS letter from FDA for Vitosa

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HB Natural Ingredients (Irvine, CA), a subsidiary of BGG World, received a “Letter of No Objection” from FDA regarding the self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of Vitosa, the firm’s line of stevia products. Prior to this, in July, an expert panel from the Flavor Extracts Manufacturers Association evaluated Vitosa and determined that it met the requirements for GRAS status.

“Our Vitosa stevia sweeteners are excellent high intensity sweeteners with a powerful dual benefit: the capability to deliver deep sugar reduction and maintain sugar-like taste with no bitterness,” explained Varuzhan Abelyan, PhD, chairman and chief of science and technology, in a press release.

Vitosa comes in three variants: Delight, Active, and Match. Delight provides a sweetness onset similar to sucrose. Active lacks bitterness, even at high sugar equivalent use levels. Match provides a reduces sweetness aftertaste and a lingering sweetness perception.