Oobli receives FDA 'No questions' letter for novel sweet protein

The FDA letter signals support for the safety of the Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein for use in food and beverages.

Oobli, the global sweet protein platform known for its healthy sugar alternatives, today announced it has received the “No questions” letter from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), accepting the Company’s conclusion that the Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein (known by its scientific name as “brazzein”) is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use as a sweetener in food and beverages.

“Oobli is changing the future of sweetness through the use of sweet proteins as a replacement for traditional cane sugar and other alternative sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and erythritol,” said Jason Ryder, Oobli founder & CTO, and adjunct professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at University of California Berkeley. “The Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein is one of several sweet proteins that is derived from fruits primarily found in West Africa and other equatorial environments. Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that deliver a sugar-like sweetness but don't affect blood sugar, insulin, or the gut microbiome.”

Oobli is the first company to receive the “No questions” letter from the FDA for use of the Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein as a food ingredient. In fact, the company’s brand name and sweet protein platform “Oobli'' was inspired by West African villagers who originally described the Oubli Fruit as being, “So sweet it makes children forget their mother’s milk.”

“The “No questions” letter from the FDA is a further testament to the strong potential that sweet proteins have to disrupt our global dependence on sugar and alternative sweeteners,” said Ali Wing, CEO, Oobli. “The Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein can be safely used in various foods with support from the general scientific community and the FDA. It can replace 70% or more of sugar in most food and beverages such as sodas, teas, baked goods and more, making the opportunities to reduce our sugar consumption endless.”

Oobli will sample its line of craft-brewed, low-sugar Sweet Teas, as well as its Dark and Milk Chocolates featuring the Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein, at the Future Food-Tech Conference in San Francisco from March 21–22.

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Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkerkuhne@bnpmedia.com.