U.S. FDA issues GRAS No Objection Letter for BESTEVIA® Reb D Stevia Leaf Sweetener

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. and WESTCHESTER, Ill., Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SweeGen, Inc., a nature-based sweetener company, and Ingredion Incorporated, a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, jointly announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) No Objection Letter for BESTEVIA® Rebaudioside D stevia leaf sweetener for use as a general-purpose, non-nutritive sweetener for foods and beverages.

BESTEVIA Reb D, SweeGen's non-caloric, high-purity stevia sweetener with a clean, sugar-like taste, is produced from the stevia leaf. The manufacturing process, ingredient composition and other factors were provided to the FDA in GRAS notice No. 715. The FDA acknowledged in a letter dated Oct. 24, 2017 that it evaluated the application and has no further questions regarding the conclusion that BESTEVIA Reb D is GRAS under its intended conditions of use.

"Having received the No Objection Letter from the FDA, SweeGen and our valued distribution partner Ingredion are now able to support food and beverage manufacturers in the U.S. as they work to meet consumer demand for reduced- and no-sugar products made with our new, high-purity, great-tasting stevia sweetener," said Katharina Pueller, director, natural sweetener business of SweeGen.

"The sugar-reduction trend is reshaping the way manufacturers formulate for sweet taste globally," said Kurt Callaghan, marketing manager, sweetness innovation, Ingredion. "BESTEVIA Reb D stevia leaf sweetener gives manufacturers a new tool to reduce sugar, without sacrificing taste." The ingredient joins BESTEVIA Reb M as part of a new range of stevia leaf sweeteners, developed by SweeGen and distributed by Ingredion, which can be used in applications such as dairy, bakery and beverages.

Ingredion is SweeGen's exclusive global distributor of BESTEVIA Reb M and Reb D stevia leaf sweeteners in all markets (excluding SweeGen's house accounts and in the People's Republic of China where it is a non-exclusive distributor). Ingredion will distribute BESTEVIA Reb D stevia leaf sweetener initially in the United States and subsequently in other countries as additional regulatory approvals are granted.

To learn more about BESTEVIA stevia leaf sweeteners, contact Ingredion at 1-800-713-0208 or visit www.ingredion.us/BESTEVIA.

About SweeGen
SweeGen, Inc., (OTC: SWEE) is dedicated to the development, production and distribution of non- caloric sweeteners for the food, flavor and beverage industries. SweeGen's robust product pipeline, intellectual property portfolio, and dedicated manufacturing capacity and R&D provide the foundation for innovation and delivery of high-quality sweeteners. For more information please contact info@sweegen.com and visit SweeGen's website, www.sweegen.com.

About Ingredion
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) is a leading global ingredient solutions provider. We turn grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. Serving customers in over 100 countries, our ingredients make crackers crunchy, yogurts creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger and add fiber to nutrition bars. For more information, visit ingredion.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for BESTEVIA® Reb D stevia leaf sweetener. These statements are based on current expectations, but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of each of SweeGen, Inc., and Ingredion Incorporated. Relevant risks and uncertainties include those referenced in the filings of each of SweeGen, Inc., and Ingredion Incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, and therefore should be carefully considered. Each of SweeGen, Inc., and Ingredion Incorporated assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.

"BESTEVIA" is a registered trademark held by SweeGen permitted to be used by Ingredion for distribution purposes.

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SOURCE SweeGen, Inc.