Jinan – September 21, 2026 -- Bestzyme, a synthetic biology unit of GenScript Biotech, has completed what it calls the world's first dedicated, automated smart production line for sweet proteins at its Jinan facility, integrating R&D, mass production and application for the ingredient category for the first time globally.
Jinan facility delivers 100 tons of annual capacity equal to 300,000 tons of sucrose sweetness
The 5,000-square-meter plant runs a fully automated fermentation-purification-freeze-drying process for Bestzyme's flagship Mellia® Brazzein sweet protein. Once operational, the line will produce over 100 tons annually, a volume the company says matches the sweetness output of 300,000 tons of sucrose. Bestzyme expects capacity to potentially double within two years.
Brazzein protein overcomes decade-long fermentation and purification barriers
Brazzein, extracted from the West African Oubli fruit, is thousands of times sweeter than sucrose with no glycemic impact and zero calories, but low host expression levels and separation difficulty had confined it to laboratory-scale production. Bestzyme applied over a decade of industrial enzyme and biocatalysis expertise to achieve high-density fermentation at commercial scale.
FDA issued a No Questions Letter confirming GRAS status in April 2025
Mellia® has already moved through what the company terms a "0 to 1" commercial validation phase, partnering with a U.S. sparkling water brand to launch a zero-sugar, full-bodied-sweetness product that gained consumer traction and is now entering a "1 to N" scale-up stage. Regulatory reviews are also underway in several other countries and regions beyond the U.S. clearance.
Dr. Bai Aixi frames Mellia as the missing link in sweetener blends
Dr. Bai Aixi, General Manager of Bestzyme, said the core challenge in sugar reduction is not removal of sugar but replication of sucrose's full, natural taste without calories or metabolic burden. Mellia® is designed to blend with existing sweeteners such as Stevia and Monk fruit rather than replace them outright, targeting a clean label with no blood sugar impact.
Global sweet protein market reached tens of millions in value in 2025
Industry reports cited by the company place the global sweet protein market at a tens-of-millions-dollar scale in 2025, within a natural sugar reduction sector valued in the hundreds of billions overall. Bestzyme said companies combining owned R&D, production and application capabilities remain rare worldwide, positioning the Jinan line as a structural supply guarantee for food and beverage customers on stability, quality control and response speed.