FDA had no questions. Here is what that means for your brand.
FDA reviewed the GRAS Notice for UnSugar Sweet Protein (GRN 001338) and had no questions. Here is what that changes for regulatory, R&D, purchasing and marketing, and what it does not.
Buyer guide · Reviewed by the UnSugar R&D Team
The 30-second version
FDA reviewed the GRAS Notice for UnSugar Sweet Protein (GRN 001338) and responded with a “no questions” letter. For your team, that removes the regulatory question that stalls most sweet protein projects. It does not replace your own label and claims review. The fastest next step is a bench test: a sample box arrives in about 7 days.
When a new sweetener reaches your desk, the first question is rarely about taste. It is “can we use it?” For UnSugar Sweet Protein, that question now has a short, public answer: FDA had no questions. This guide explains what that means in practice, team by team, so you can move the project forward this week.
What FDA actually reviewed
A GRAS notice explains what an ingredient is, how it is made, how it is specified and why experts conclude it is safe for a stated use. FDA’s scientists evaluate that file. When they have no questions, FDA sends a letter saying so and makes it public.
For UnSugar Sweet Protein, the stated use is a general-purpose sweetener in foods at levels consistent with current good manufacturing practices, excluding infant formula and products under USDA jurisdiction. FDA’s letter is dated November 4, 2026. FDA posts its response letters in its public GRAS Notice Inventory, and until the entry for GRN 001338 is updated, we share a copy on request.
What changes for each of your teams
Regulatory. You can check the status yourself in minutes. Ask for the GRN (ours is GRN 001338) and the FDA response letter, and read the intended use and exclusions. Our regulatory and quality page has the full status and the documents you can request.
R&D. The project can start at the bench instead of in a regulatory queue. Work in milligrams, because UnSugar Sweet Protein is 1,000 times sweeter than sugar. A good first build is a 65/35 blend: 65% of the sweetness from the sweet protein and 35% from the sweetener you already use.
Purchasing. Compare suppliers on cost in use, with the paperwork question settled. Because about one part replaces 1,000 parts of sugar, price per kilogram tells you little; cost per serving tells you what you will actually pay.
Marketing. Plan a reduced-sugar story around taste, and keep claims to what your own team substantiates. The letter is about the ingredient, not your finished product.
What does not change
Your finished product still needs its own label review, nutrition panel and claims check. Standards of identity still apply where they exist. And taste still decides whether consumers buy twice. A “no questions” letter clears the path to the bench. It does not do the bench work for you.
A real example to try
Take a lemonade or a flavored milk you sell today. Cut the sugar by a third, add UnSugar Sweet Protein in milligrams, and taste it cold against the original. Most teams start there because the result is clear in one afternoon. Our classic lemonade starter formulation and reduced-sugar chocolate milk show the dosing on a 50 g/L basis.
Ready when you are
A sample box with a certificate of analysis reaches US teams in about 7 days, and we review your first trial free of charge. One gram of powder can replace up to about 1 kg of sugar.
Quick answers
Is a “no questions” letter the same as FDA approval? No. FDA does not approve GRAS ingredients; the letter means FDA reviewed the notice and has no questions about the conclusion.
Can I put “FDA approved” on my pack? No, and we would not advise any FDA language on a consumer pack. Talk to your regulatory team.
How do I name it on the label? Customers use Sweet Protein, Fruit Sweet Protein, UnSugar Sweet Protein or Brazzein. Your regulatory team makes the final call.
What does the letter cover? Use of UnSugar Sweet Protein as a general-purpose sweetener in foods, excluding infant formula and products under USDA jurisdiction.
What is the fastest way to start? Request a sample box. It arrives with a certificate of analysis in about 7 days, and we review your first trial free of charge.
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 and replaces 60 to 90% of the sugar in suitable formulations. UnSugar Sweet Protein has an FDA GRAS “no questions” letter (GRN 001338, November 4, 2026) for use as a general-purpose sweetener in foods. Contact sales@goUnSugar.com.
Reduction figures are formulation targets, confirmed by bench testing in your own product. Performance and labeling depend on the finished formulation, use level and applicable regulations; confirm any on-pack wording with your regulatory team. We make no health, glycemic or calorie claims for UnSugar Sweet Protein.
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