Monk fruit is emerging sweetener star, say analysts
As the sweetener stevia finally moves into the EU food market via France, it seems it may already have a potential new rival.
Monk fruit (luo han guo) is a Chinese fruit 300 times sweeter than sugar, and used largely in Asia, Until now, regulatory issues mean it has been confined to supplement-type products in the US, with analyst Innova Market Insights reporting 2010 launches involving liquid, capsule and tea concentrate supplements. However, earlier this year New Zealand-based BioVittoria, the world’s largest producer and processor of luo han guo, gained GRAS status from the FDA in the US for its Fruit Sweetness fruit concentrate made with luo han guo, paving the way for its wider use in a range of sweetening and flavour-enhancing applications. It’s uptake in the market, however, is still a way off as food and drink companies are naturally cautious.
“Luo Han Guo, with its natural image and its tradition as a curative product, has made a good start as a sweetener and flavour enhancer in the mainstream food and drinks industry by gaining GRAS status in the US,” says Innova Market Insight’s head of research LuAnn Williams. “However, it is yet to be taken up by the major food and drinks companies and used in their products.”
Watch this space.
