FSAI confirms that monk fruit decoctions are not novel

The Monk Fruit Corp is celebrating a regulatory breakthrough as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) confirmed that monk fruit decoctions, a naturally sweet low-calorie food, are not novel.

The ruling green-lights the opportunity for monk fruit decoctions to be utilised as a naturally sweet, low-calorie ingredient in food and beverage products sold in the EU. This aligns the EU with the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, India, Mexico, New Zealand and Israel where regulatory approvals for monk fruit as a sweetener and as a not novel food are already in place.

Classification of food as “not novel” under European Union guidance requires evidence of significant consumption of the food in the EU prior to May 1997. Monk Fruit Corp spent more than seven years collecting evidence of monk fruit decoction consumption and preparing a thorough and persuasive dossier which was submitted to the FSAI.

Commenting on the FSAI’s decision, David Thorrold, Monk Fruit Corp general manager of sales & marketing, said the business is delighted by the news from the FSAI confirming monk fruit decoctions are not novel food in the EU.

“This aligns with the June 2024 decision by the UK and adds a great-tasting, clean-label, 100% natural option to the sugar reduction tool kit,” Thorrold continues. “There is huge potential for monk fruit in the EU. Monk fruit decoctions are a unique food ingredient because they contribute sweetness while adding minimal sugar and calories. This is thanks to the sweet mogroside molecule which occurs naturally in the fruit.”

However, monk fruit decoctions are not equivalent to monk fruit extract sweeteners, which are considered a food additive. According to Thorrold, “Monk fruit extract sweeteners are made by selective processing, which concentrates the mogroside V molecule – in some cases to a concentration of over 50%. Currently there is no UK or EU approval for monk fruit extract sweeteners. Monk Fruit Corp’s monk fruit decoctions, now confirmed by both the UK FSA and the FSAI as not novel food, are processed in a way that does not selectively concentrate the sweet mogroside molecules, and are therefore equivalent to the traditional food, and not classified as a sweetener food additive”.

The method of manufacture and specification for the monk fruit decoctions accepted as not novel food by the FSAI were determined by Monk Fruit Corp after extensive analysis of traditional consumption and preparation methods and are Monk Fruit Corp trade secrets. Monk Fruit Corp has developed a new commercial product for the UK and EU to have a product that complies with the specification.

Thorrold explains why monk fruit decoctions have unique consumer appeal: “Monk fruit decoctions are a 100% natural, great-tasting, sweet, low-calorie traditional food, as opposed to a food additive. The ingredient declaration will be “concentrated monk fruit infusion”, making it a consumer-friendly, clean-label option for sugar reduction. Our experience with monk fruit in other markets tells us that consumers readily accept the new ingredient because of the “fruit” designation, which conveys safety, familiarity, and great taste.”

Monk Fruit Corp already sells monk fruit decoctions to several of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, and Thorrold sees these companies as the most likely first customers in the EU, he comments, “Several of our large global customers have been eager to extend the use of our current monk fruit decoctions to their products in the UK and EU. We anticipate that these customers will launch new products incorporating our new UK and EU-compliant monk fruit decoctions in the near future”.

Monk Fruit Corp was founded in 2004 and has a vision to operate as a large scale, environmentally and economically sustainable business, in long-term partnership with growers and their communities. Monk Fruit Corp’s goal is to supply healthier, more ecologically sound food and beverage ingredient solutions to the benefit of both people and the planet.

Thorrold comments: “Our goal is to provide our customers with high-quality ingredients, guaranteed reliability of supply, and a clearly articulated and validated set of benefits. Achieving regulatory approvals and thereby opening new markets is a critical component in delivering against this promise. Today’s FSAI ruling is the latest in a long history of regulatory approvals that we have achieved. Monk Fruit Corp, along with our in-market partners, have been responsible for the first approval of monk fruit ingredients for general use in food in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, India, Mexico, New Zealand and Israel. We are now delighted to have achieved this regulatory milestone in the EU – further solidifying our position as the world’s leading and most innovative monk fruit company.”

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