Layn Natural Ingredients to Highlight Monk Fruit Decoction Solutions at IFT FIRST 2026

Layn Natural Ingredients, a global leader in polyphenol-rich botanical extract manufacturing and the world’s largest producer and innovator of monk fruit and stevia sweeteners, will showcase its expanded portfolio of monk fruit sweetener solutions at IFT FIRST 2026, including its recently introduced monk fruit decoction powder and liquid, designed to provide food, beverage, flavor, and nutrition brands with additional formulation flexibility and broader global market opportunities.

Demand for monk fruit continues to grow as manufacturers look for more flexible ways to reduce sugar while meeting evolving formulation, labeling, and regulatory requirements. Layn’s newly expanded monk fruit portfolio supports these diverse product-development needs, including taste profile, ingredient positioning, processing preferences, and market access. The monk fruit decoction powder and liquid add another option to this portfolio. Produced through a traditional non-selective water-based decoction process, these ingredients naturally provide approximately five to six times the sweetness of sugar while supporting fruit-derived and ultra-clean-label product positioning, further expanding one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios of monk fruit ingredients.

Recent regulatory developments have further increased interest among global manufacturers in monk fruit decoction products. In 2024, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) concluded that non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit are not considered novel foods under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, citing evidence of significant consumption in the European Union and the United Kingdom prior to May 15, 1997. The determination supports the use of monk fruit decoctions as conventional food ingredients in applicable European markets.

“For brands developing products across multiple regions, ingredient flexibility and regulatory clarity are becoming increasingly critical considerations,” said Doris Ip, Senior Marketing Manager of Layn Natural Ingredients. “What differentiates Layn is our vertically integrated monk fruit platform, which begins at the plant level with proprietary cultivar development, tissue culture propagation, and grower partnerships, and extends through cultivation, extraction, and ingredient manufacturing. This source-to-solution approach helps us deliver tailored sweetening solutions backed by supply stability, consistent quality, technical expertise, and decades of natural ingredient innovation.”

In addition to its monk fruit decoction announcement, Layn will showcase its FDA GRAS (GRN 001203) and FEMA GRAS (No. 5106) status for SteviUp® M2. SteviUp® M2 is a next-generation Reb M2 sweetener developed to deliver a cleaner, more sugar-like taste profile with improved solubility and reduced lingering sweetness compared to conventional steviol glycosides.

Visitors at IFT FIRST 2026 are invited to stop by Layn’s booth #2203, where the company is hosting a tasting session of its no sugar-added SteviUp® M2 Mango sorbet, a sugar-free electrolyte and hydration drink sweetened by its monk fruit decoction ingredients and infused with functional botanicals, as well as a sugar-free peach black tea sweetened with SteviUp® M2.

Leo Lin, Layn’s R&D Manager, is also hosting a “Taste of Science Session” to discuss sweetener formulation challenges and opportunities and provide attendees with prototype beverages featuring Layn’s monk fruit and stevia ingredients.

• Monday, July 13 - 1:30-1:45 pm CT
• Exhibit Hall A: Taste of Science Stage (pre-registration not required)

To learn more about the company’s expanded natural sweetener portfolio, U.S.-made solutions, and its broader range of botanical ingredients for food, beverage, flavor, and nutraceutical applications, visit them at IFT booth #2203 or visit its website.