Brazzein Suppliers: How to Compare Sweet Proteins From the Oubli Fruit
Looking at brazzein, the oubli fruit sweet protein, for sugar reduction? Here are six things to compare in a supplier, and a fair way to test them side by side.
Buyer's guide
Brazzein, the sweet protein first found in the oubli fruit, has moved from research papers into real products. If your team is looking at it for a sugar reduction project, the next question is a practical one: who do you buy it from, and how do you tell one supplier from another?
A quick note on where we stand: we are UnSugar, and we supply a sweet protein based on brazzein. So this page gives you a method that works whichever supplier you choose, and then shows how we answer the same questions. If the names are new to you, start with our explainer on oubli and brazzein.
The 30-second version
- Brazzein is a sweet protein first found in the oubli fruit. For food use it is made by fermentation.
- More than one company supplies brazzein, or sweet proteins based on it. They are not all the same.
- Compare suppliers on six things: focus, sweet proteins, formats, formulation support, documents and cost in use.
- UnSugar supplies one ingredient, UnSugar Sweet Protein, based on brazzein, in liquid and powder, to food and beverage companies only.
- The fair way to choose is a side-by-side test in your own product.
Why compare more than one brazzein supplier
These are the reasons buyers give us. They are normal purchasing practice for any new ingredient.
A second source. Most companies will not launch on a single supplier for a key ingredient. A qualified backup protects the launch.
Not all brazzein is the same. Each supplier has its own process, so sweetness, taste and purity can differ from one to the next.
Format and process fit. Liquid or powder, heat step, pH and shelf life all differ by product. One supplier's ingredient may suit your line better.
A price to compare against. You cannot judge a quote without a second one. Compare cost in use, not price per kilogram.
Six things to compare in any brazzein supplier
- Focus. Does the company only supply ingredients, or does it also sell its own consumer products? Neither is wrong, but it shapes priorities.
- Sweet proteins offered. Brazzein only, or other sweet proteins too? Match the protein to your product.
- Formats. Liquid, powder or both, and how each should be stored and dosed.
- Formulation support. Who helps you get the taste right: the supplier's own food scientists, a partner company, or nobody?
- Documents. Specification sheet, certificate of analysis, allergen statement, regulatory documentation and label declaration.
- Cost in use. What it costs to deliver the same sweetness in your finished product.
How UnSugar answers the six questions
We ask you to put every supplier through the same six checks, so here are our own answers.
| Check | UnSugar |
|---|---|
| Focus | We supply one ingredient to food and beverage companies. We do not sell consumer products. |
| Sweet proteins offered | One: UnSugar Sweet Protein, a sweet protein based on brazzein. It is 1,000 times sweeter than sugar. |
| Formats | Liquid and powder. |
| Formulation support | Our own food scientists support your first bench trial and give you a starting formulation for your category. |
| Documents | We send the documents your team needs with your samples. Ask us about your intended use. |
| Cost in use | Priced on cost in use. It replaces 60 to 90% of the sugar in suitable formulations. |
The kinds of supplier you will meet
Sweet protein suppliers come in several kinds, and a good shortlist often includes more than one.
- ✓ Specialists that supply one sweet protein and support you closely. This is where UnSugar sits.
- ✓ Sweetener system houses that offer a sweet protein alongside stevia, flavors and modulators.
- ✓ Extract producers that supply thaumatin from fruit, mostly used in small doses.
- ✓ Large-scale manufacturers that focus on volume.
- ✓ Scale-ups with newer sweet proteins still building production.
Our buyer's guide to sweet protein suppliers explains each kind, with a checklist, a scorecard and an email you can send to every supplier.
How to run a fair side-by-side test
- Request samples from two or three suppliers. Ask each for the same things: samples, a starting formulation and documents.
- Match the sweetness. Dose each one to the same sweetness as your control, in your real product, not in water.
- Taste blind. Code the samples so tasters do not know which is which. Score the first sip, 10 seconds and 60 seconds.
- Compare cost in use. Divide each price per kilogram by how many times sweeter than sugar the ingredient is in your product.
- Decide on the scores. Pick on taste, process fit, documents, supply, support and cost. Keep the runner-up as your second source.
What you get from UnSugar
UnSugar Sweet Protein is a sweet protein based on brazzein. It is 1,000 times sweeter than sugar, typically replaces 60 to 90% of the sugar in suitable formulations, and tastes like sugar with no bitter aftertaste.
It comes in liquid and powder formats, holds its sweetness through pasteurization and UHT, and works from pH 2.5 to 10. We price on cost in use, and our food scientists help with your first bench trial. Put us in the same blind test as everyone else.
Quick answers
Who supplies brazzein? Several companies make brazzein, or sweet proteins based on it, by fermentation. UnSugar is one: it supplies UnSugar Sweet Protein, a sweet protein based on brazzein, to US food and beverage brands in liquid and powder.
Is all brazzein the same? No. Each supplier has its own process, so sweetness, taste, format and purity can differ. Test each one in your own product at the same sweetness level.
Do brazzein suppliers use oubli fruit? No. The oubli fruit is not farmed at scale and holds very little protein. Brazzein for food use is made by precision fermentation, a process like brewing.
Can I use two sweet protein suppliers? Yes, and many companies do. Qualifying a second source for a key ingredient protects your launch and gives you a price to compare against.
Does UnSugar sell consumer products? No. UnSugar only supplies its ingredient to food and beverage companies.
How do I compare brazzein suppliers fairly? Request samples from each supplier, dose them to the same sweetness in your real product, taste blind, and compare cost in use instead of price per kilogram.
Put us in your blind test
Tell us your product and your current sweetener. We will send liquid and powder samples of UnSugar Sweet Protein, the documents your team needs, and a starting formulation for your category.
Request samples: goUnSugar.com/request-samples. Prefer to talk first? Email sales@goUnSugar.com
About UnSugar. UnSugar Sweet Protein is a sweet-protein ingredient that helps US food and beverage teams cut sugar while keeping the taste. It is 1,000 times sweeter than sugar by weight, typically replaces 60 to 90% of the sugar in suitable formulations, delivers a sugar-like taste with no bitter aftertaste, and works alongside existing sweeteners. Learn more at goUnSugar.com.
Sources: Brazzein, Wikipedia
This article is general information for food and beverage teams. It does not describe or refer to any other company's products. UnSugar makes no health, medical or glycemic claims for UnSugar Sweet Protein. Sugar-reduction ranges are typical starting points in suitable formulations, not guarantees.
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