BioVittoria, Hamilton New Zealand, has received official notification from FDA that its Fruit-Sweetness branded monk fruit concentrate is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. Monk fruit has been a traditional food in Southeast Asia for hundreds of years. The unique zero-calorie sweetness of monk fruit concentrate comes from naturally occurring compounds in the fruit that are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. This means that just 1/4 of a gram of Fruit-Sweetness can replace 8 teaspoons of sugar.