VANCOUVER, British Columbia—GLG Life Tech Corporation, a developer of natural sweeteners, announced that is has submitted a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) notification with FDA for its Luo Han Guo (monk fruit) extract products. The process included consultations with GRAS Associates, LLC, who gathered an independent panel of scientists to overlook the safety assessment. The GRAS notification covers three distinct Luo Han Guo extracts, MV30, MV 50, and MV60, each containing a minimum level of mogroside V (30 percent, 50 percent, and 60 percent, respectively).

GLG also has GRAS projects underway for two high-purity stevia products, high-purity rebaudioside C and rebaudioside D. Notifications for these are expected to be released for review by FDA this year. GLG already has several stevia products certified under the GRAS process, including rebaudioside A products ranging from purities of 50 to 97 percent, high-purity stevioside (STV) and high-purity rebaudioside M.

GLG has a large industrial processing capacity for anticipated growth in the Luo Han Market driven by international food and beverage companies. The company is expecting its first fruit to be harvested at the end of the third quarter and to commence processing in late 2014. GLG is currently working with a number of international customers interested in its Luo Han Guo products and expects initial sales to be finalized prior to the start of production.