26 Jul 2012 --- Sweet Green Fields (SGF), a leading U.S. based global producer of high purity stevia extracts, announced that product patents have been granted in Australia and New Zealand for the company's new Rebaudioside-A (RA) product of 99% purity. With this product patent announcement, Sweet Green Fields has achieved an industry first, as no other patents, in any country, cover RA purity levels higher than 99%. Sweet Green Fields' brand Altesse Stevia 99 is a breakthrough product for purity, and offers remarkably superior taste qualities that can be used for challenging beverage formulations.

"We will continue to introduce new products based on purities of RA and steviol glycoside blends with superior value that only Sweet Green Fields can make," commented Dean Francis, Chief Executive Officer of Sweet Green Fields. "We have seen high promise in the ultra-pure RA products as food and beverage companies are increasingly looking for all-natural sweetener options that meet their taste and cost parameters with Sweet Green Fields continuing to provide an edge."

The Australia and New Zealand product patents provide Sweet Green Fields with the unique ability to exclusively market and sell its Altesse Stevia 99 brand sweetener and other high purity products in development.

Separately, Sweet Green Fields was also granted process patents in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and China for the company's exceptionally efficient RA extraction method. The proprietary extraction method -- known as Fast Precipitation Process (FPP) -- already holds a patent in the U.S. and is 33% to 50% faster than the industry's conventional methods, resulting in a much more efficient and cost effective process. Moreover, the claims in the U.S., China, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand process patents extend to cover Sweet Green Field's proprietary purity selection method. Through this method, Sweet Green Fields chooses the exact RA purity of the final product before production even begins.

"The additional recognition of our patents further solidifies Sweet Green Fields' position in the global marketplace, utilizing FPP so the food and beverage industry are assured the finest quality extracts matched with the most efficient cost," said Dr. Mel Jackson, Sweet Green Fields Vice President of Science and the creator of the patented process. "With more than a decade of extensive stevia research by Sweet Green Fields, the recently granted Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and China patents showcase our leadership and dedication to the innovative methods in producing high quality stevia extract."

Dedicated to improving commonly used and costly industry methods that could not produce pure RA or control the concentration of the final product, Jackson began working on the extraction process in 2001 when there were no other commercial methods. The patent pre-dates all other pending patent applications pertaining to efficiently producing high purity RA. Thus far, the patent has already withstood the challenge of other claims, as well as significant related art.