Brazzein's Time Has Arrived: Demand, Technology and Experience Align for Nutritive Sweetener

Expression of the sweet protein brazzein in maize for production of a new commercial sweetener

Few scientists own the experience Dr. John Howard, GreenLab's Chief Science Officer, brings to the development of brazzein, a sweet protein occurring naturally in a tropical plant. Experiments in modern manufacturing techniques have not yet produced brazzein at both the scale and cost necessary to make a difference for the millions of individuals seeking to reduce sugar and sugar substitutes in their diets.

Dr. Howard working with a team of scientists report here "the use of a maize expression system for the production of this naturally sweet protein." This means, they figured out how to produce brazzein using corn. It's sustainable, cost-effective and safe. And when consumers are asked whether they want ingredients manufactured in factories the answer is no, it is produced in cornfields.

Although brazzein has a long history of human consumption, safety and healthfulness are still the main goals for any new product and process. All facets are comprehensively evaluated in before submitting the results to regulatory agencies for review. Imagining a time where a sweetener does not trigger an insulin response or impacts tooth decay is finally within reach.