CIRS Assists VDK in Securing GRAS Status for β-carotene

Recently, VDK’s synthetically produced β-carotene, manufactured using synthetic biology technology, obtained self-GRAS notification. This milestone signifies the product’s approval as a safe food ingredient for sale and use in the American market, providing crucial support for VDK’s global expansion strategy. This notification was fully supported by CIRS Group.

GRAS constitutes a crucial category within the U.S. food regulatory framework. A substance is deemed GRAS when a panel of scientifically trained, experienced, and qualified experts thoroughly demonstrates its safety under intended conditions of use through scientific procedures. Substances granted GRAS status can be legally used as food ingredients or dietary supplement components in the U.S. market, serving as a key pathway for companies to access international markets for their food ingredients or additives.

β-carotene is a natural precursor to Vitamin A, requiring dietary intake for conversion and utilization within the human body. Leveraging its proprietary microbial cell factory technology, VDK achieves green and efficient production of β-carotene. The production strain used in this product is engineered from chassis microorganisms listed in the EU QPS List, eliminating risks such as endotoxin generation at the source and significantly enhancing product biosafety. Authoritative testing data confirms a naturalness index of 100% (100% biobased carbon). Following GRAS status, VDK’s β-carotene is approved for use as a food ingredient in the United States. It can be safely incorporated into foods as a supplemental β-carotene source within the intended scope and dosage.

About VDK

Founded in 2013, VDK NaturaSyn Co., Ltd. is a full-chain platform enterprise centered on synthetic biology. The company possesses end-to-end capabilities spanning enzyme discovery and optimization, metabolic pathway engineering, proprietary strain construction, pilot-scale fermentation scaling, pilot-scale separation and extraction, industrial-scale production, and product commercialization. Its product portfolio spans four major sectors: dietary supplements, natural pigments, flavors, and pharmaceuticals/intermediates. Leveraging its proprietary microbial cell factory technology, VDK pioneered the large-scale biological production of 5-hydroxytryptophan, β-carotene, esterified astaxanthin, resveratrol, cantharidin, perilla diol, and melatonin. Its technological transformation and industrialization efficiency consistently rank among the industry’s highest.

About CIRS Group

Headquartered in Hangzhou, CIRS Group operates 11 subsidiaries across the United States, Europe, South Korea, Japan, and other regions. With a specialized global novel ingredient registration team, it provides comprehensive global submission services for novel food ingredients in China, GRAS status in the U.S., Novel Food approvals in the EU, and novel feed additives in China, Europe, and the U.S. The company boasts extensive experience and numerous successful cases, including D-allulose, HMOs, steviol glycosides, NMN, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, NAG, and other substances produced using synthetic biology technologies, as well as various alternative proteins, PQQ, Wheat Polar Lipids, Jatropha Curcas, AKK, Probiotics, and more. Our project experience ranks among the industry's foremost. We welcome inquiries or visits to further explore our technical capabilities.

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