GLG Life Tech Corporation Announces Rebaudioside A Stevia Extract Is Approved In France

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 10 Sep 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX:GLG) ("GLG" or the "Company"), the vertically integrated leader in the agricultural and industrial development of high quality stevia extracts, is pleased to announce the approval in France of Rebaudioside A stevia extract for use in food and beverages. The French Government's approval was made after a review of the safety of Rebaudioside A by the Agence Francaise de Securite Sanitaire des Aliment (AFFSA) was first published in June 2009. This approval is the first for a European Union market and allows the food and beverage industry to sweeten products with rebiana, high purity Rebaudioside A, for the next two years.

High purity Rebaudioside A 97%, or rebiana, also received GRAS status in the United States in December of 2008 following a positive approval issued by the World Health Organization and extensive research submitted to the FDA to confirm its safety. Subsequently, products have been launched in the U.S. and have given consumers products which are naturally sweetened while simultaneously offering zero or reduced calories. The Company expects that products sweetened with rebiana will be launched in France in the near future based on discussions that it has held with potential customers and from other recent market announcements.

Chairman and CEO, Dr. Luke Zhang, states, "We are pleased with the approval of rebiana in France and view it as another positive step towards global market acceptance for stevia extracts as the next generation sweetener. We have already been working with customers in R&D and product formulation in preparation of this approval. As a leading supplier of the world's purest stevia extracts, we are prepared to meet the demands of the European market and are pleased with the decision of the French ministry to permit its use in food and beverages."

Source
GLG Life Tech Corporation

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