Ireland’s food safety watchdog greenlights monk fruit decoction sales for use in F&B formulations

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has approved the sale of monk fruit decoctions in the EU based on Monk Fruit Corp’s submission of evidence that the ingredient is “not novel” in the region. The naturally sweet low-calorie food can now be used as an ingredient in F&B products sold in the country.

The ingredient’s classification as not novel aligns the EU with the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, India, Mexico, New Zealand and Israel where regulatory approvals for monk fruit as a sweetener and as a not novel food are already in place.

“We are delighted by the news from the FSAI confirming monk fruit decoctions are not novel food in the EU. This aligns with the June 2024 decision by the UK and adds a great-tasting, clean label, 100% natural option to the sugar reduction tool kit,” says David Thorrold, Monk Fruit Corp general manager of Sales & Marketing.

He believes there is huge potential for monk fruit in the EU and monk fruit decoctions are a “unique food ingredient” since they impart sweetness with minimal sugar and calories due to the sweet mogroside molecule which occurs naturally in the fruit.

Consumer appeal

Monk Fruit Corp describes decoctions as products made by combining plant material with hot water so that the water-soluble compounds in the plant material are dissolved in the water, making an extraction solution.

Monk fruit decoctions can be made from fresh or dried monk fruit (Image credit: Monk Fruit Corp).Monk fruit decoctions can be made from fresh or dried monk fruit and are traditionally consumed as hot and cold teas and infusions. They can also be used as an ingredient in products such as soup, stews, desserts, sauces, baked goods and breakfast cereals.

Thorrold believes that the ingredient has unique consumer appeal as it is “a 100% natural, great-tasting, sweet, low-calorie traditional food, as opposed to a food additive.”

The ingredient is also a clean label option for sugar reduction and can be declared as “concentrated monk fruit infusion” on products, making it a consumer-friendly ingredient.

“Our experience with monk fruit in other markets tells us that consumers readily accept the new ingredient because of the ‘fruit’ designation, which conveys safety, familiarity and great taste,” he adds.

Not food additives

According to the company, monk fruit decoctions are not equivalent to monk fruit extract sweeteners, which are considered a food additive.

“Monk fruit extract sweeteners are made by selective processing, which concentrates the mogroside V molecule — in some cases to a concentration of over 50%,” explains Thorrold.

“Currently there is no UK or EU approval for monk fruit extract sweeteners.”

Meanwhile, Monk Fruit Corp claims its monk fruit decoctions are confirmed by both the UK FSA and the FSAI as “not novel” food. Their processing method does not involve selective concentration of the sweet mogroside molecules and the ingredients are therefore “equivalent to the traditional food and not classified as a sweetener food additive.”

Monk fruit decoctions are processed differently from the fruit extract sweeteners, which are considered as food additives.“The method of manufacture and specification for the monk fruit decoctions accepted as not novel food by the FSAI were determined by Monk Fruit Corp after extensive analysis of traditional consumption and preparation methods and are Monk Fruit Corp trade secrets,” underscores the company.

Business moves

Monk Fruit Corp sells monk fruit decoctions to several F&B companies globally and Thorrold expects these companies to be the most likely first customers in the EU.

“Several of our large global customers have been eager to extend the use of our current monk fruit decoctions to their products in the UK and EU. We anticipate that these customers will launch new products incorporating our new UK and EU-compliant monk fruit decoctions in the near future.”

Meanwhile, Elo Life Systems previously told Food Ingredients First it is working on its molecular farming-based monk fruit sweetener, which is slated for commercialization in 2026.