Sunwin and WILD Flavors, Inc. Announce Self-GRAS Affirmation for OnlySweet Stevia Extracts

Robert S. McQuate, PhD, and CEO of GRAS Associates, adds, "Sunwin and WILD Flavors have done an excellent job in preparing high quality OnlySweet stevia extracts that have attained self-affirmed GRAS status.

16 Sep 2009 --- Sunwin International Neutraceuticals, Inc. a worldwide supplier of all-natural, zero-calorie stevia and WILD Flavors, Inc. one of the largest, privately-owned suppliers of natural and health-enhancing ingredients, flavors, colors, and innovative product concepts to the food and beverage industry, have completed the process for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) self-affirmed GRAS status for stevia extracts produced by Sunwin and sold worldwide. In February of 2009 Sunwin announced a partnership with WILD Flavors, a company responsible for the flavors and ingredient combinations found in many well known products produced in the food and beverage industry. The companies jointly pursued the self-affirmation GRAS process along with GRAS Associates, LLC, a highly regarded independent organization focused on the FDA's GRAS submission process. After months of extensive review of data, toxicology studies and production processes used by Sunwin, GRAS Associates has determined that the OnlySweet stevia extracts produced by Sunwin meet the safety criteria for use as a general purpose sweetener in a variety of food products for consumer use including, food, beverages, confectioneries and table-top products. The OnlySweet stevia extracts that were included in the self-affirmation GRAS study meet or exceed the specifications of 95% steviol glycoside content established by the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA).

Self-affirmed GRAS status is an authorized FDA designation that allows companies to perform all necessary research by consulting with an independent expert panel of scientists to determine if an ingredient meets the FDA's criteria for safety. The necessary safety requirement established by the FDA is a "reasonable certainty in the minds of competent scientists that the substance is not harmful under the intended conditions of use."

Robert S. McQuate, PhD, and CEO of GRAS Associates, adds, "Sunwin and WILD Flavors have done an excellent job in preparing high quality OnlySweet stevia extracts that have attained self-affirmed GRAS status. This collaboration has been successful in ensuring high purity compositions that meet the international specifications detailed by JECFA that also fulfill FDA safety requirements. The broader food industry and the consumers they serve are expected to benefit from the product integrity that Sunwin and WILD Flavors have captured in their OnlySweet stevia extracts product line."

"WILD Flavors has been able to quickly commercialize many new and innovative food and beverage product concepts and offerings with current customers for rapid entry in the market while also opening doors to new clients for access to zero-calorie, all natural stevia sweetening systems. WILD Flavors has a broad portfolio of taste modification technologies with systems and solutions that address mouth-feel, masking, sweet enhancement, and blocking of bitterness that improve the taste profile of foods and beverages containing various levels of OnlySweet stevia extracts," states Kevin Gavin, WILD Flavor's Chief Operating Officer.

"The partnership between WILD Flavors and Sunwin has the potential to create great value to consumer packaged goods companies, consumers and Sunwin's shareholders by obtaining FDA self-affirmed GRAS Status. This affirmation enables our organizations to finalize numerous projects using OnlySweet stevia extracts as the all natural sweetener of choice. We look forward to working with WILD Flavors on continuing this great momentum and growth," states Jeff Reynolds President and CEO of Sunwin's U.S. based subsidiary. Sunwin is committed to sustainable production and supply of the highest quality stevia extracts available and through the technological synergies between Sunwin's production knowledge, and WILD Flavors' quality management systems and product development techniques. This partnership is expected to result in exponential volume growth for stevia sales and opportunity through new routes to market and ensure the highest quality and best tasting products available.