VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 21, 2017 / GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX: GLG) (OTC PINK: GLGLF) ("GLG"), a global leader in the agricultural and commercial development of high-quality zero-calorie natural sweeteners, is pleased to announce today an update on its major R&D programs for agriculture and, in collaboration with Archer Daniels Midland Company ("ADM"), a breakthrough in bioconversion that will enable commercialization of high purity Reb M and Reb D sweeteners found in the stevia leaf.
First, GLG has achieved a major breakthrough in its agricultural R&D program for high Reb M stevia plants. Through this program, GLG aims to revolutionize the global food and beverage industry by providing companies with the ability to replace sugars and artificial sweeteners with naturally-sourced Rebaudioside M ("Reb M"). On February 29, 2016, GLG announced a new variety of stevia seedling that contained 8% Rebaudioside M out of the total steviol glycosides ("TSG") present in that variety. Since then, GLG has developed high Reb M stevia varieties using non-gmo hybridization techniques.
Today, GLG is pleased to announce the latest results from this program that it has five new seedlings that have Reb M content ranging from 56.8% to 61.6% of TSG. These results have already significantly exceeded our target of Reb M content of 50%. GLG measured fourteen glycosides including RM, RD, STV, RF, RN, RO, RN, RE, RA, STV Isomer, DA, RUB, RB and STB. The other notable glycosides present were RN (average 7.4%) and RF (average 17.0%). The TSG level in these five new varieties was much lower than our high Reb A plants and the next phase of the R&D program will be to focus on increasing TSG and Reb M levels. GLG has a great deal of experience in increasing TSG and plant size as it has done with its Reb A varieties. These are just the initial results of last year's agriculture program, and GLG expects to have additional results in the coming weeks and will release any additional major findings and developments as it has them.
The significance of these results cannot be understated. Reb M, one of several steviol glycosides found in the stevia plant, is highly desired in the industry as a natural, zero-calorie sugar and sweetener replacement, one that very closely resembles sugar. To date, the impediment to utilizing Reb M has been its scarce presence in the stevia leaf, making commercial use cost-prohibitive. With this level of Reb M content, GLG can cost effectively produce high Reb M stevia extract for costs similar to the cost of today's high Reb A stevia extracts. GLG's new high Reb M stevia varieties pave the way to bringing a naturally-sourced Reb M extract to the market on a commercial scale.
All hybridization techniques used to develop these new varieties are non-GMO, which will maintain the integrity of GLG's leading stevia non-GMO product portfolio. These achievements have been accelerated with the utilization of advanced genomic screening techniques that result in a more efficient selection of candidate stevia lines and crossings with a number of patented GLG stevia varieties. This latest achievement further demonstrates GLG's leading position in the global stevia industry. The next steps will be to propagate these seedlings and ultimately develop a seed variety that will be made available to farmers, which will reduce their cost of growing high Reb M stevia leaf as well as protect GLG's intellectual property. GLG is in the process of filing for patent protection for its new high Reb M seedlings. GLG has a unique gene fingerprint for its stevia plants, which will be an integral part of protecting its intellectual property with these new Reb M varieties.
Second, GLG and ADM, the exclusive global marketer and distributor of GLG's stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, have achieved a major breakthrough in the co-development of high Reb M and high Reb D stevia extracts using bioconversion techniques. GLG and ADM expect that these products will fill the short-term market demand before the high Reb M stevia varieties are commercially available for planting (in approximately the next two to three years). The two companies, working together with several third-party partners, have achieved purity levels exceeding 98% for Reb M and 99% for Reb D stevia extracts. ADM and GLG expect to be in commercial production for high Reb M and high Reb D extracts starting in the first quarter of 2018 using a bioconversion production technology. This strategy will allow for earlier sale of high Reb M and high Reb D extracts until the leaf-based extracts are available from its high Reb M leaf.
Dr. Luke Zhang, CEO and Chairman of GLG, commented, "We are so pleased to announce this breakthrough for high Reb M stevia plants. Based on GLG's strong track record of developing high Reb A, high Reb C and high STV stevia varieties, I was always confident that we would develop a high Reb M variety using our core R&D patented technology. The team has exceeded my expectations in achieving these results in a little over 18 months since we kicked off our Phase II Reb M Seedling program. I am also excited by our Bioconversion R&D program, which will allow us to offer our customers high Reb M and high Reb D stevia extracts starting in 2018. These products will serve as an interim bridge until our high Reb M stevia leaf is grown commercially a few years later. We expect strong demand from international customers for these better tasting stevia extracts. A leaf that contains almost 60% Reb M will allow us to offer these products at very similar prices to today's Reb A products."
"Consumers today are looking for natural, clean label foods and drinks that taste great," said Rodney Schanefelt, director, sugar and high intensity sweeteners, for ADM. "We are excited about these breakthroughs, and look forward to expanding the array of innovative, low-calorie stevia and monk fruit sweeteners we can offer to customers around the globe."
For further information, please contact:
Brian Meadows, President
Phone: +1 (604) 285-2602 ext. 105
Fax: +1 (604) 285-2606
Email: [email protected]
About GLG Life Tech Corporation
GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high-purity zero calorie natural sweeteners including stevia and monk fruit extracts used in food and beverages. GLG's vertically integrated operations, which incorporate our Fairness to Farmers program and emphasize sustainability throughout, cover each step in the stevia and monk fruit supply chains including non-GMO seed and seedling breeding, natural propagation, growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of the finished products. Additionally, to further meet the varied needs of the food and beverage industry, GLG has launched its Naturals+ product line, enabling it to supply a host of complementary ingredients reliably sourced through its supplier network in China. For further information, please visit www.glglifetech.com.
Forward-looking statements:
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SOURCE: GLG Life Tech Corporation