PureCircle Files Patent Infringement Case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

CHICAGO, April 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Monday, April 6, 2020,  Chicago-based PureCircle, the leading global innovator and supplier of stevia ingredients, including sweeteners and flavor enhancers, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against Almendra Americas LLC of Decatur, Georgia, and Almendra (Thailand) Company Limited of Bangkok, Thailand.  PureCircle claims that Almendra’s “Steviarome” products are infringing PureCircle's patent -- U.S. Patent No. 10,398,160, “Glucosylated steviol glycoside as a flavor modifier.”  Glucosylated steviol glycoside is a flavor modifier derived from the stevia plant. PureCircle’s NSF-02® flavor with modifying properties is one example of a glucosylated steviol glycoside ingredient.

PureCircle has a broad and strong global array of patents, which are the result of its advanced innovation, research and development work with stevia, and its investment therein. As the result of that ongoing innovation, research and development, PureCircle has been granted more than 200 stevia-related patents. These patents - plus more than 300 patents pending and other valuable intellectual property - are directed to a wide range of stevia-related products and processes. 

PureCircle offers a robust portfolio of great-tasting, plant-based stevia ingredients including stevia leaf sweeteners, functional ingredients and flavors.  Today, stevia-based flavor modifying ingredients, such as PureCircle’s NSF-02® flavor, offer food and beverage companies significant advantages and flexibility when producing products with optimized taste. 

PureCircle’s NSF-02® stevia flavor is widely regarded as an exceptional ingredient in the world of flavors for its ability to enhance sweetness quality, balancing overall flavor profile while minimizing off-notes and possible bitterness. PureCircle remains committed to bringing innovative, plant-based, stevia leaf ingredients to market for food and beverage companies prioritizing healthier ingredients and sugar reduction.

Enquiries:

Alina Slotnik, Vice President of Marketing
Email: alina.slotnik@purecircle.com

Jackson Pillow, Global Communications Manager
Email:  Jackson.Pillow@purecircle.com  Phone: +1 630 256 8394

About PureCircle

About stevia

• Given the growing global concerns about obesity and diabetes, beverage and food companies are working responsibly to reduce sugar and calories in their products, responding to both consumers and health and wellness advocates. Sweeteners from the stevia plant offer sugar-like taste and are becoming an increasingly important tool for these companies.
• Like sugar, stevia sweeteners are from plants. But unlike sugar, they enable low-calorie and zero-calorie formulations of beverages and foods.
• Stevia leaf extract is a natural-based, zero calorie, high-intensity sweetener, used by global food and beverage companies as a great-tasting zero-calorie alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• Stevia is a naturally sweet plant native to South America; today, it is grown around the world, notably in Kenya, China and the US.
• The sweet-tasting parts of the stevia leaf are up to 350 times sweeter than sugar: stevia’s high-intensity sweetness means it requires far less water and land than sugar.
• Research has shown that the molecules of the stevia leaf are present and unchanged in the dried stevia leaf, through the commercial extraction and purification process, and in the final stevia leaf extract product. All major global regulatory organisations, across 65 countries, have approved the use of high-purity stevia leaf extracts in food and beverages.

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