ST. LOUIS — Bunge Loders Croklaan, a division of St. Louis-based Bunge Ltd., received a “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration in response to its Generally Recognized as Safe notice for a new shea ingredient.

The FDA letter allows for the use of shea olein, the soft fraction of shea butter, in applications including baked foods, snacks, spreads, sauces, frozen dairy desserts and more. Shea olein joins shea stearin, the firm fraction of shea butter, as the second GRAS shea ingredient.

“Bunge Loders Croklaan is excited to expand its US portfolio with the soft fraction of shea butter — a non-GMO ingredient that delivers high stability and excellent mouthfeel in bakery, confectionery and prepared foods,” said Tyronna Capers, director of marketing at Bunge Loders Croklaan. “This new product also links directly to our shea processing facility in Ghana and our shea sustainability program in West Africa.”