New approvals of Gaio^® tagatose in South Africa and Brazil

Gaio^® tagatose has just recently been accepted as a new food ingredient in both South Africa and Brazil and an EU novel foods procedure is on track with an anticipated approval in spring 2006.

South Africa
The South African Food Control has informed that Gaio^® tagatose is now accepted as a food ingredient in South Africa. This acceptance is based upon the latest JECFA (The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) safety evaluation of Gaio^® tagatose and the opinion of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants, which in July 2005 concluded that Gaio^® tagatose is a food ingredient.

This approval opens up for an interesting market, consisting of approx. 47 million people, where especially the Glycemic Index concept has obtained a strong foothold mainly driven by the GISFA (Glycemic Index Foundation of South Africa) symbol endorsing low GI foods. The GIFSA endorsement logo is easily recognizable and identifies the GI rating of food products. Gaio^® tagatose provides new opportunities in formulation of tasty low glycemic foods due to its neglible glycemic response of 3% compared to glucose.


Brazil
This month the Brazilian Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has issued an authori-zation of Gaio^® tagatose as a new food ingredient in Brazil.

In the Brazilian market, it is anticipated that the approval especially will be appealing for diet beverages manufacturers, due to the synergistic effect in combination with high intensity sweeteners.

When Gaio^® tagatose is used in small doses from 0.2% - 1.0% in diet beverages it has unique flavour enhancing effects. The sweetener interacts with both high intensity sweeteners and the specific flavours. The result is an improved mouth feel and sweet-ness profile similar to sucrose and a boost in flavour perception.

European Union
Gaio^® tagatose is currently being evaluated as a novel food in the EU. An EU novel food application for Gaio^® tagatose was formally accepted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), U.K this spring.

In September the FSA finalized an Initial Assessment Report for Gaio^® tagatose which is being evaluated by the other 24 EU Member States. The Member States has 60 days to evaluate and pose questions to the documentation in the application.

It is currently expected that a final approval of Gaio^® tagatose as a novel food in the EU will take place within the first quarter of 2006.

Approved countries
Gaio^® tagatose is already approved in the US market, Korea and Australia/New Zealand (FSANZ).