DAVIS, CALIF. — Oobli’s brazzein-54, a sweet-tasting protein that is naturally occurring in the oubli fruit, is the latest sweetener in its portfolio to receive a “no questions” letter from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
Oobli’s other sweet proteins to receive “no questions” letters include brazzein-53 and monellin. “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,” said Jason Ryder, founder and chief technology officer at Oobli. “Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that deliver a sugar-like sweetness but don’t affect blood sugar, insulin, or the gut microbiome.”
The company’s sweet proteins derived from the oubli fruit may replace 70% or more of sugar in products, including sodas, teas, baked foods and others, said Ali Wing, chief executive officer of Oobli.
The third “no questions” letter from the FDA follows multiple partnerships with companies to boost production of the company’s sweet proteins, including Grupo Bimbo, which is using Oobli’s sweet proteins in several of its baked foods products, and Ingredion.
Oobli and Ingredion formed a partnership after testing co-developed products formulated with sweet proteins manufactured by Oobli with sweetener options like stevia that are sold by Ingredion.
