Booth S2400

Layn Natural Ingredients, supplier of natural botanical extracts, has launched SteviUp M2 (Reb M2), a plant-based sweetener the company said delivers “a cleaner, more sugar-like taste with improved solubility and shorter lingering sweetness compared to conventional steviol glycosides.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed and recognized SteviUp M2 as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for use as a general-purpose sweetener in food and beverage applications, the company noted.

“For over two decades, Layn has been pioneering ways to revolutionize the stevia market to meet the needs of changing consumer demands,” said Frank Xie, president and CEO of Guilin Layn Natural Ingredients. “We’re devoted to investing in significant R&D efforts aimed at breeding new varieties of leaf, increasing extract yield, and optimizing processes in the manufacture of stevia extracts. New high-purity exotic steviol glycosides allow for significant innovation and improved taste profiles, delivering better solutions for sugar reduction.”

FDA Acceptance

SteviUp M2 is derived through enzyme-based bioconversion of purified steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana, ensuring a clean-label, non-GMO, plant-based sweetener that aligns with consumer preferences, Layn said. FDA’s GRAS evaluation recognizes that SteviUp M2 meets rigorous safety and purity standards, making it suitable for a range of food and beverage applications.

According to Layn, key advantages of SteviUp M2 include:

• FDA-recognized as GRAS under intended food use conditions
• Enhanced clean sweetness with significantly reduced lingering effect
• Superior water solubility compared to conventional stevia Reb M
• Produced through enzyme-based bioconversion for high purity
• Non-GMO, plant-based, and sustainably sourced
• Customizable for specific food and beverage formulations

Enzyme-Based Ingredient Development

SteviUp M2 is produced using precision enzymatic conversion that optimizes the transformation of rebaudioside A into highly pure rebaudioside M2, Layn said. The company’s advanced enzyme-based ingredient development allows for a more efficient, scalable, and sustainable manufacturing process that meets strict quality, safety, and regulatory standards.

At IFT FIRST booth S2400, Layn will demonstrate the solubility of SteviUp vs. other Reb M extracts and discuss the science of sweet.