Rancho Santa Margarita, May 04, 2021 — As pandemic conditions have encouraged Asian consumers to adopt healthier lifestyles and diets, the Malaysia Ministry of Health officially accepted SweeGen’s zero-calorie Bestevia sweeteners, Rebaudiosides D, E and M for use as ingredients in food and beverage products.
Brands in Asia are striving to deliver sweet indulgence alongside new and exciting flavors in snacks and beverages to satisfy consumers’ cravings. The acceptance of not just one, but three of SweeGen’s premium stevia ingredients, gives brands in Malaysia the creative latitude to tackle sugar challenges when innovating and renovating products.
“Cutting calories and adopting nature-based ingredients in diets has long fit into the importance of health and wellness for consumers in Asia,” said Senior Vice President of Sales, Luca Giannone. “Our promise well into the future is to ultimately move the needle in what consumers eat and drink through better sugar reduction solutions.”
Malaysia is one of many APAC countries where SweeGen’s non-GMO stevia sweeteners will change the landscape for offering a low cost-in-use sugar reduction solution.
In its quest to provide highest levels of customized service to brands and the broadest toolbox of taste solutions in Asia, SweeGen is in the process of opening a food and beverage application center in Singapore to collaborate with brands on exploring and discovering product innovations motivated by consumer trends and regional tastes. Last year, Singapore’s food safety authority approved SweeGen’s Rebs D and E in 2020 and Reb M in 2019.
Next generation non-GMO stevia sweeteners have led the way in replacing sugar in foods and beverages, nutritional products, and many other market products world-wide. In a Mintel 2020 report on table sauces, it reported that “consumers in this region are increasingly keen to eat more natural foods. This should encourage table sauce brands to remove artificial additives and prioritize natural, organic, and less-processed ingredients.” SweeGen’s proprietary zero-calorie stevia sweeteners are produced through a patented bioconversion process, which begins with the stevia leaf to achieve high-purity clean-tasting Rebs D, E and M.
SweeGen offers food and beverage manufacturers rapid innovation sugar reduction solutions for beverage, dairy, savory, bakery and confectionery. Bestevia Rebs D, E and M were commercialized in the past few years, and have already been approved in many regions around the world.
“This regulatory milestone is just one of many achievements in APAC, said Director of Regulatory Affairs, Hadi Omrani. “We’re looking forward to continuing our goal throughout the region which will help an industry that strives to be relevant with consumers.”
