Bringing sweet protein to market

KANSAS CITY — Sweet proteins are becoming a larger force in sugar reduction.  

For example, brazzein is a scientific name for sweet protein from the oubli fruit, a berry native to the regions near the equator.

“Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than sugar and have a delicious, sugar-like taste,” said Amy Chen, president and chief commercial officer for Oobli, Davis, Calif. “Like all sweet proteins, oubli fruit sweet proteins bind directly to the sweet taste receptors and digest as proteins, so they can deliver the sweetness we crave without gut disruption or blood sugar spikes.”

Sweet proteins bind to sweet taste receptors on the tongue and do not trigger any bitter notes or lingering aftertaste, she said, adding that since the oubli may be about 500 times sweeter than sugar, formulators need small amounts to reduce sugar by 50% to 90% in finished products.

“The result is a sweetness experience that closely mirrors the taste of sugar,” Chen said. “Oubli fruit sweet proteins work well in a wide range of applications, including sports nutrition, beverages like dairy, baked goods, confectionery and more.”

Consumer demand is increasing for low-sugar products, sparking more formulating to accomplish that reduction. An Innova Market Insights survey, Arnhem, The Netherlands, found that 56% of consumer said they pay attention to sugar on the Nutrition Facts Panel, the top choice and ahead of protein at 41% and fat at 40%. New food and beverage product launches with claims of low sugar, no sugar, reduced sugar or no added sugar increased 13% year over year, according to Innova.

Oobli produces brazzein through fermentation, resulting in a nature-identical ingredient manufactured sustainably at commercial scale, Chen said, adding that it offers competitive cost in use in a range of applications. Oubli is metabolized differently than sugar in that it is digested into amino acids through normal protein digestion, producing no blood sugar spike, no insulin response and no disruption to the gut microbiome.

Sweetener synergy

Sweet proteins work synergistically with sugar and other sweeteners.

“Sweet proteins are able to achieve much higher sweetness (brix) levels than other sweeteners, enabling formulators to develop applications across a broader range of sweetness,” Chen said. “Blending sweet proteins with each other or with other sweeteners can also improve both taste and sweetness intensity, translating directly into lower cost-in-use and improved performance.”

Oobli also offers monellin, a sweet protein, that may be used on its own, blended with brazzein or used in combination with sugar or other sweeteners, according to the company. Oobli and Cosun Ingredients developed a sugar replacement system built specifically for chocolate. Oobli’s sweet proteins provide sugar-like sweetness with no off-notes while Cosun’s chicory root fiber delivers the bulk, mouthfeel, and crystallization that sugar would provide otherwise, according to the companies. Besides chocolate, the sugar replacement system potentially may be used in baked foods, ice cream and other applications.

Thaumatin, another sweet protein, works well with brazzein, according to Icon Foods, Portland, Ore. Thaumatin, a larger protein, produces high potency with long persistence and lingering sweetness. It works well in cocoa, coffee and bitter systems where rounding and masking are needed. Brazzein is smaller and binds more specifically and reversibly, according to Icon Foods. Its precision allows formulators to more closely mimic sucrose’s temporal profile. When used in combination, brazzein defines the sweetness curve and thaumatin trims bitterness and extends finish.

Brazzein can complement other sweeteners to help improve sweetness quality, balance lingering sweetness and minimize undesirable taste characteristics, according to Sweegen, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

 Since brazzein is heat stable, it has potential in grain-based applications such as baked foods, breakfast cereal, granola, nutrition bars and reduced-sugar snacks, according to Sweegen, which uses fermentation technology to produce its Ultratia brazzein. Brazzein occurs naturally in the fruit of the West African oubli plant (Pentadiplandra brazzeana), but extracting it directly from the plant is not a practical approach for large-scale commercial supply, according to Sweegen.

FDA responds favorably

Several brazzein suppliers have received “no questions” letters from the US Food and Drug Administration on the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of their sweeteners.

Sweegen in June received a “no questions” letter for its Ultratia brazzein technology. Sweet proteins have an affinity for different taste receptors on the tongue, including the T1R3 receptor, which is associated with both umami and sweetness, according to Sweegen.

“Sweegen’s Ultratia brazzein has received great feedback from our customers during the primary formulation phase and tasting formulation,” Shari Mahon, Sweegen’s chief commercial officer, said in June. “Sweegen’s product development teams have discovered remarkable synergies between Ultratia brazzein and the company’s signature stevia systems.”

Oobli in September 2025 received a “no questions” letter for its brazzein-54. Previously the FDA had issued a “no questions” letter for Oobli’s brazzein-53 and monellin. Bestzyme received its FDA letter in April 2025 for its Mellia brazzein, which may be blended with sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit.

More manufacturing capacity

Sweetener suppliers are investing in sweet proteins, too.

Bestzyme, a synthetic biology company under GenScript Biotech, in September completed a dedicated line for sweet proteins at its facility in Jinan, China, to integrate research and development, mass production, and application for sweet proteins globally. The 53,800-square-foot facility in Jinan will have an annual capacity of over 100 tons.

In April 2026, Oobli entered a manufacturing partnership in the Andean region with Magdalena’s bio-chemical unit, which focuses on synthetic biology and precision fermentation. The partnership is designed to scale protein technologies for sweet proteins and food, beverage, nutraceutical and other emerging industrial applications across Central America and South America.

Oobli has partnered with other companies as well. Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV in May 2024 announced plans to formulate several of its baked foods with Oobli’s sweet proteins through a partnership. In February 2025, Oobli and Ingredion partnered to test co-developed products formulated with sweet proteins from Oobli and sweetener options like stevia sold by Ingredion.