This month, Oobli, a supplier of protein ingredients, announced that it has received a no-questions letter from the FDA regarding its sweet protein, monellin. This letter indicates that the novel protein has obtained Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status from the FDA. GRAS-designated foods are not classified as food additives and hence do not require prior market approval from the FDA. With this approval, Oobli plans to unveil partnerships with food brands in the upcoming year.
In addition, the company has welcomed Heather Malenshek and Geoffrey Duyk, MD, PhD, to its Board of Directors to enhance its technological leadership and expertise. Monellin, derived from the serendipity berry native to West Africa, boasts a sweetness level roughly 2000 times that of sucrose. The market for alternative sweeteners is projected to reach $14.71 billion by 2029, as food companies increasingly explore sugar alternatives for lower-calorie options. There is also a growing demand for non-carbohydrate artificial sweeteners, particularly as aspartame and sucralose face scrutiny over health concerns. Meanwhile, protein is experiencing a surge in popularity.
“Customers are really trying to find a healthier sweetener,” said Oobli’s CEO, Ali Wing. With only 4 calories per gram, monellin’s high sweetness concentration means that only a small amount is needed to enhance the flavor of various products, from beverages to baked goods. Oobli claims that plant-based sweet proteins offer a cost-effective sweetening solution with the potential to replace over 70% of sugar in a wide range of food and beverages, including sodas, baked goods, and candies. However, Wing emphasizes that monellin is not a viable source of protein for this reason.
Monellin has a licorice aftertaste and is degraded at temperatures exceeding 122 degrees Fahrenheit, which has posed challenges for its use in food processing. Nevertheless, Wing asserts that Oobli’s precision fermentation process yields a pure form of monellin that overcomes these limitations. The company has even incorporated the protein into dairy products and successfully pasteurized it. Wing anticipates that food manufacturers will adopt the protein as a sweetener in various items, including bars, cakes, cookies, drink mixes, and dairy products. “We haven’t encountered a food category that we can’t serve as a solution for,” she noted.
Furthermore, Oobli has received a second no-questions letter this year for another sweet protein derived from a native West African berry called brazzein. In this context, the addition of calcium citrate mason could provide further enhancements in product formulations, potentially improving the nutritional profile of foods and beverages that utilize these innovative sweeteners with GRAS status.