Siemer Milling Co., Teutopolis, Ill., opened a new, 8,000-square-foot technical center, located adjacent to the company office. The center incorporates an expanded and upgraded research and development (R&D) laboratory, and a wheat test-milling facility, plus meeting, conference, and office spaces. The R&D Lab was designed to enable Siemer to meet and exceed customer needs and expectations, and identify novel solutions to marketplace challenges, it adds.

New York-based Kyowa Hakko USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., completed generally regarded as safe (GRAS) self-affirmation for its Setria glutathione ingredient. The tripeptide ingredient, which can be used at levels of 5 to 400 mgs in coffee, tea, dairy drinks, meal replacement and more, provides intracellular antioxidant support, aids in cellular detoxification and supports immunity and healthy aging, the company says.

Applied Food Sciences Inc., Austin, Texas, announced that four of its core ingredients — PurCaf, PurTea, JAVA.g and GCA — have been classified as Non-GMO Project Verified, it says.

In an effort to help food and beverage manufacturers reduce sodium in their products, Minneapolis-based Cargill opened its first foodgrade potassium chloride operation at its Watkins Glen, N.Y.-based salt plant. The new facility is part of the company’s commitment to a nutrition innovation pipeline, helping to bring new lowersodium options to the market faster. Potassium chloride enables manufacturers to lower sodium content by as much as 50 percent in a wide range of food and beverage products without sacrificing taste and functionality, it says.

SweeGen Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., and Ingredion, Westchester, Ill., jointly announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a generally recognized as safe “Letter of No Objection” for Bestevia Rebaudioside D stevia leaf sweetener. The non-caloric, high-purity stevia sweetener can now be use as a generalpurpose, non-nutritive sweetener for foods and beverages, the companies say. Developed by SweeGen and distributed by Ingredion, Bestevia Reb D meets consumer demand for reducedand no-sugar products, without sacrificing taste, they add.