Ingredion Incorporated, a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, and SweeGen, a nature-based sweetener company, jointly announced that BESTEVIA® Reb D stevia leaf sweetener has achieved Non-GMO Project Verified status.

SweeGen’s unique production process starts with the stevia leaf and uses a proprietary technology to achieve high purity levels of Reb D. Sensory mapping, obtained through a trained sensory panel, shows that Reb D has a sugar-like sweet taste and has a sweetness onset and sweet linger (also called “sweetness time intensity”) that is closer to sugar than other stevia products. In 2017, the U.S. FDA issued a No Objection Letter for BESTEVIA Reb D stevia leaf sweetener for use as a general-purpose, non-nutritive sweetener for foods and beverages (GRN No. 715).

“Achieving Non-GMO Project verification for BESTEVIA Reb D adds another level of trust to the stevia products offered by Ingredion and SweeGen,” says Kurt Callaghan, marketing manager, global sweetness innovation, Ingredion. “As consumer demand for sugar reduction and non-GMO products grows, manufacturers can more readily respond by formulating with our portfolio of Non-GMO Project Verified stevia products.”

Katharina Pueller, SweeGen’s director of natural sweetener business, adds, “Both our BESTEVIA Reb M and Reb D stevia leaf sweeteners are now Non-GMO Project Verified, which gives them a great distinction on the market. This is another big milestone for us and our customers.”

Ingredion is SweeGen’s exclusive global distributor of BESTEVIA Reb M and Reb D stevia leaf sweeteners—excluding the People's Republic of China and SweeGen’s house accounts. This collaboration enables both companies to benefit from each other’s strengths and to attract a diverse number of customers in the food and beverage industries for world-wide reach.

The Non-GMO Project (www.nongmoproject.org) offers independent verification for products made according to rigorous best practices for GMO (genetically modified organisms) avoidance. Verified products are produced in compliance with the Non-GMO Project Standard.

About SweeGen

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

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