On July 15, IFT FIRST 2026, the premier event for the global food technology industry, successfully concluded at McCormick Place in Chicago, USA. Bestzyme Bio showcased its core innovation, Mellia® Brazzein sweet protein, in the Solutions Showcase area. Featuring a dynamic combination of specialized technical presentations and live product tastings, Bestzyme engaged in deep dialogue with global food R&D innovators and ingredient buyers, delivering a stellar performance with its next-generation natural sugar reduction solutions.
Addressing Core Pain Points in Sugar Reduction: Buzzing On-Site Technical Exchanges
During the event, Vera Zhong, Technical Service Manager at Bestzyme, delivered a presentation titled "Sweet Protein in Practice: Sugar Reduction Strategies for Modern Food & Beverage Applications." She directly addressed the major pain points in the food industry's sugar reduction efforts: traditional sugar substitutes often suffer from bitter or metallic aftertastes, disjointed sweetness profiles, and poor stability under heat, acid, or alkaline conditions, making it difficult to achieve a clean label without sacrificing taste. Leveraging comprehensive application data and mass-production use cases of Mellia® Brazzein, she offered ready-to-implement formulation optimization strategies.
The presentation drew a full house, while the tasting area at the booth enjoyed non-stop traffic. Three finished products developed using Mellia® Brazzein—electrolyte water, low-sugar lemon tea, and sugar-free compressed candy—attracted numerous industry peers to stop by for a taste. R&D professionals and technical experts from food companies across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region engaged in deep discussions regarding multi-category formulation optimization, sweetness blending solutions, and stability in industrial processing. A significant number of industry partners requested raw material samples and customized formulation services right on the spot.
Mellia® Brazzein: A Strategic Engine Ushering in a New Era of Global Sugar Reduction
As China’s first brazzein sweet protein to achieve US FDA GRAS status, Mellia® Brazzein empowers food companies across four core dimensions—flavor profile, supply security, formulation development, and label compliance—breaking through the bottlenecks of traditional sugar substitutes:
Cleaner TASTE: Delivers a pure sweet taste with no bitter aftertaste, and can be flexibly blended with other sweeteners.
Safer SUPPLY: Backed by authoritative FDA GRAS notification and a mature, compliant, and eco-friendly supply chain, laying a secure foundation for global brands.
Easier FORMULATION: Features excellent solubility and processing stability, making it highly compatible with diverse product applications while optimizing overall flavor.
Cleaner LABEL: Offers a consumer-friendly and clean ingredient list, establishing a transparent and trustworthy positioning for zero-sugar products.
Leveraging its R&D center in Nanjing and a fully automated manufacturing facility in Jinan, coupled with a global technical service team, Bestzyme provides domestic and international clients with an integrated solution that spans sample support and custom formulation, ensuring a stable, long-term commercial supply.
As the global sugar reduction wave continues to deepen, consumer demand for a "healthy, natural, and real sugar taste" will only keep rising. Sweet proteins are broadening the toolkit for sugar reduction technologies in the food and beverage industry. During this trip to IFT in Chicago, Bestzyme reached numerous consensus points for innovative collaboration with global industry partners. Moving forward, we will continue to rely on our strengths in bio-fermentation technology, centering around Mellia® Brazzein, to consistently deliver more clean-label sugar reduction solutions tailored to diverse food systems. Together with food innovators worldwide, we aim to build a healthy and pure sweet future!
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