DAVIS, CALIF. — Oobli, a maker of low sugar tea and chocolate formulated from sweet protein from fruit, has received a “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration for its Oubli fruit sweet protein.

The protein also is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use as a sweetener in food and beverages, according to the company.

“Oobli is changing the future of sweetness through the use of sweet proteins as a replacement for traditional cane sugar and other alternative sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and erythritol,” said Jason Ryder, founder and chief technology officer at Oobli. “The Oubli Fruit Sweet Protein is one of several sweet proteins that is derived from fruits primarily found in West Africa and other equatorial environments. Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that deliver a sugar-like sweetness but don't affect blood sugar, insulin or the gut microbiome.”