Global sweetness and flavor innovator, Sweegen has recently launched Sweetensify™ Flavors, its newest flavor tool for food and beverage producers to create better-for-everyone products. Powered by Sweegen’s novel sweet protein technology that includes brazzein, thaumatin II, and other unique proteins, Sweetensify Flavors improve and modulate sweet flavor, creating a sugar-like experience, thereby pushing the boundaries of healthier product innovation.
According to Casey McCormick, Senior Vice President of Global Innovation, “Sweetensify Flavors will change how product developers think about reducing or eliminating sugar in beverages and foods. The flavor expression enabled by Sweetensify Flavors optimizes the sensory experience and enables a more sugar-like taste. It is substantially better than any previous technology. We target taste receptors on a biochemistry level that others simply cannot.”
Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors will also debut brazzein, the company’s highly sought-after sweet protein, as well as thaumatin II. At the time of the Sweetensify announcement, Sweegen’s thaumatin II received the Flavor Extract Manufacturer’s Association (FEMA) GRAS status.
Sweet proteins like brazzein have an affinity for different taste receptors on the tongue, especially the receptor known as T1R3, which is associated with both umami and sweetness perception. Leveraging this unique attribute, Sweetensify Flavors will enable product developers to reduce the amount of sugar they use in products while maintaining the quality of characteristic flavors and sweetness.
Thaumatin II belongs to a family of sweet-tasting proteins called thaumatins. Thaumatin II is a variant of the original thaumatin protein with a similar structure and sweetness profile. Thaumatins are known for their intense sweetness, several times greater than sucrose (table sugar). Brazzein is also several thousand times sweeter than sugar, making it a cost-effective tool for brands on a large scale. Thaumatin II is considered safe for consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The entire collection of Sweetensify Flavors has a wide range of benefits across sweet and savory applications, including enhancing flavor tonalities, blocking bitterness, reducing astringency and sweet linger, eliminating unwanted aftertastes, reducing sugar use, and blocking the burn from alcohol.
McCormick added, “Our product development teams are finding incredible synergies between Sweetensify Flavors and Sweegen’s state-of-the-art stevia systems. Ultimately, our solutions challenge the taste and cost of artificial sweeteners currently on the market. Our customers are excited about the cross-application utility of the flavor collection enabled by the great pH and heat stability we see for these flavors along with high solubility.”
Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors are available for use in countries that allow flavors approved by the FEMA GRAS protocol. The company plans to rapidly expand its use and availability globally.
To scale brazzein and thaumatin II sustainably, Sweegen uses a proprietary precision fermentation process, a technology that produces clean and sustainable ingredients. This allows for cost-effective commercial production of highly-sought after ingredients in global sugar reduction solutions. Sweegen’s innovation and strategic partner, Conagen, developed brazzein and thaumatins I and II with its proprietary protein and peptide production platforms and announced the development of the sweet proteins in 2021. Brazzein is a rare sweet protein that originates from the fruit of the West African climbing plant, oubli.
Luca Giannone, Senior Vice President of Sales said, “We are the only company that has successfully scaled brazzein. The launch of Sweetensify Flavors is one more example of how Sweegen brings to market the industry’s very best ingredient platforms and tools for enabling sugar reduction for health and wellness. This is our mission and our promise to our customers.”
Within one year of Sweegen announcing its ability to commercialize brazzein, it has received great interest in its proprietary sweet protein-based solutions. It has collaborated with several large food and beverage companies on sensory reformulations and new product developments. Giannone concluded, “We look forward to the sensory results and feedback from our customers in anticipation of brazzein joining thaumatin II’s FEMA GRAS status. Sweegen is forging a path for better health and wellness in food and beverages with stellar ingredients. We are preserving Sweegen’s ability to continue perfecting these unique solutions with patents issued or pending worldwide.”
Later in May, Sweegen also confirmed that its highly sought-after sweet protein Ultratia brazzein technology has received the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status from FEMA. Sweegen is excited to offer it as the star sweet protein in its Sweetensify Flavors Collection, and is also the first company to attain the FEMA GRAS status to produce brazzein commercially on a global scale.
