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Green-tech food innovator Nambawan Spain has announced the commercial launch of Thaûma™, a plant-derived thaumatin II sweetener and flavour modifier designed to address taste and scalability challenges in industrial sugar reduction.
The product rollout introduces a non-caloric, non-glycaemic, protein-based sweetening solution developed using plant molecular farming (PMF) technology. The ingredient is designed for application across functional beverages, nutritional products, dairy, confectionery, and other reduced-sugar categories.
The launch arrives amid a significant expansion of the global sugar substitutes market, which is projected to grow from approximately $8 billion in 2024 to more than $15 billion by 2033. This growth is increasingly accelerated by rising consumer interest in metabolic health, alongside the rapid adoption of GLP-1 weight-management medications, driving demand for nutrient-conscious, lower-calorie food and beverage formulations.
Technical Specifications and Flavour Modification
Thaûma™ is recognised as one of the most potent natural sweetening agents available to food scientists. To help manufacturers navigate the formulation complexities of sugar replacement, the ingredient combines intense sweetening capabilities with functional flavour masking.
The core technical parameters and functions of the sweetener include:
🧬 Plant Molecular Farming – Manufactured using a sustainable plant-based molecular farming platform to secure a transparent, scalable, and stable supply chain free from the agricultural limitations of traditional botanical extraction.
🍯 Extreme Sweetness Potency – Delivers a sweetness intensity up to 13,600 times greater than sucrose at 5 Sucrose Equivalent Value (SEV).
📉 Low Dosage Efficiency – Operates effectively at usage levels of just 1–5 parts per million (ppm), which is 75 to 230 times lower than the required concentration of stevia or monk fruit.
👅 Off-Note Masking – Functions as a powerful flavour modifier to mask bitter, astringent, liquorice, and fermented off-notes commonly associated with alternative sweeteners and functional ingredients.
🛡️ Regulatory Verification – Backed by JECFA safety certification and five distinct FDA and FEMA GRAS approvals to provide immediate regulatory clearance for international product development.
Position in the Sweetener Market
Historically, food and beverage manufacturers utilising natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit have faced substantial hurdles, including severe supply-chain volatility, high raw material overheads, and lingering aftertastes that require complex masking formulations.
By utilising plant molecular farming, Nambawan Spain aims to bypass these agricultural bottlenecks. The technology utilises host plants as natural bioreactors to express thaumatin II proteins, establishing a scalable, highly consistent manufacturing pipeline that remains independent of regional weather patterns or crop failures.
According to Dr Yuri Gleba, Chief Executive Officer of Nambawan Spain, the ingredient platform resolves a long-standing compromise in the food science sector. He noted that by combining high sweetening intensity with robust flavour-modifying properties and a scalable production model, the platform allows commercial brands to execute sugar-reduction strategies without sacrificing taste or profitability.
The commercial rollout of Thaûma™ is scheduled to integrate immediately into industrial food and beverage supply networks, providing manufacturers with a single-ingredient solution to optimise formulation costs and accelerate product development pipelines.
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