8 June 2009 - Sweet Green Fields (SGF), the first U.S. Company to commercialize and patent the extraction of high purity Reb-A (Rebaudioside A) has opened a 160,000 square-foot, world-class extraction facility in China. The extraction facility will allow SGF to double its production to meet the growing needs of consumer's desires to replace caloric sugar with an all-natural, no calorie alternative as “real” as sugar, especially in beverages and snacks.
SGF’s natural sweetener, high purity Reb-A 97%, is considered to be 200-300 times sweeter then sucrose. It is an all-natural, high-intensity and zero calorie, low Glycemic sweetener extracted from the Stevia leaf.
“With soaring numbers of obese children and diabetics in our country, the food and beverage industry is looking for different ways to reduce the calorie content of foods consumers love without compromising taste. Our patented all-natural extraction process gives a consistently better tasting product according to customers who evaluate SGF’s product alongside other major products,” said Dean Francis, CEO of Sweet Green Fields. “This new facility will allow food and beverage companies that may be seeking a large, reliable U.S.-based supply source of Reb-A to purchase locally” Mike Quin, SVP Sales & Marketing added.
To assist food and beverage companies with recipe modification, Sweet Green Fields provides formulation assistance via its expert scientific staff. The company has already formulated no sugar added candy, colas, chocolate, cookies, ice cream and teas and continues to expand its research and development of new formulations, including reduced sugar formulations that allow food and beverage companies to minimize sweetener costs while still maintaining sugar-like sweetness.
Reb-A is one of 10 glycosides in the Stevia plant, native to Paraguay. Stevia in its raw form has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries in South America. Japan began to replace artificial sweeteners with Stevia in the 1970s and now uses it in 40% of its diet sweetener market.
SGF’s Reb-A 97% exceeds specifications the FDA has issued a no objection letter on and is self-affirmed GRAS (coordinated by the New York Medical College). SGF’s sweetener does not use enzymatic or chemical modification of the glycosides to yield its high purity Reb-A. Although some portions of the extraction process are proprietary, the company uses pure water to soak the Stevia leaves and then presses the wet leaves to extract out the sweet juices. “The secret to our proprietary method of extraction is that we do not use a complicated multi step process. When you fully understand how something works and can then adjust the process in a very careful way, you are going to come out with a very good product” said Dr. Mel C. Jackson, inventor of SGF's extraction processes and it’s VP for Science.
The new extraction plant will allow the company to expand its global footprint as demand for Reb-A increases throughout the world. SGF has also developed proprietary stevia hybrids that have a very high Rebaudioside-A content and high glycoside yield. Coupled with its extraction facility and ongoing research and development, SGF has full control of all operations from seed to sweetener.
About Sweet Green Fields, LLC
Sweet Green Fields (SGF) is a leading producer of high-purity Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A), with a vertically integrated supply chain operating in three continents. SGF markets natural sweeteners globally to food and beverage companies. SGF also provides formulation assistance with its line of sweeteners. The company has formulated no sugar added ice creams, cookies, candy, chocolates, teas and reduced sugar colas.