HFT News
FDA clears way for Cargill to market trehalose in U.S.
MINNEAPOLIS - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a letter of no objections to the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of trehalose. This clears the way for Cargill to market the multi-functional sweetener in the United States.
Hayashibara International (HBI) filed the GRAS notification with FDA in May. HBI is the international division of Hayashibara Company, Ltd. of Japan, which manufactures and markets trehalose in Japan.
Under an agreement with Hayashibara, Cargill has exclusive rights to develop and market trehalose for food use throughout the Americas. Trehalose is a unique, naturally occurring sugar, about half as sweet as sucrose. Its key properties include being a coloring agent, flavor enhancer, humectant, stabilizer, nutritive sweetener and texturizer. Trehalose occurs naturally in mushrooms, yeast, seaweed and lobster. Its consumption has increased steadily in Japan since 1994, when Hayashibara developed the first commercially viable process for producing trehalose for use in manufacturing prepared foods.
"Using trehalose will create new opportunities for the food industry," predicted Bruce Leslie, head of Cargill Specialty Food Ingredients. "Its versatility makes it well-suited for use in everything from seasonings to sweets to frozen foods, and even in some meat and poultry products. We are optimistic about its possibilities as we continue to evaluate the trehalose market and determine the feasibility of going into large-scale production."
For more information, call 1-800-CARGILL (227-4455) or fax at 952-742-4330.
Cargill is an international marketer, processor and distributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products and services with 85,000 employees in 60 countries. The company provides distinctive customer solutions in supply chain management, food applications and health and nutrition.