Bestzyme completes automated brazzein production line in China

Bestzyme Biotech, a synthetic biology subsidiary of GenScript Biotech, has completed an automated production line in Jinan, China, dedicated to the precision fermentation of the sweet protein brazzein. The 5,000-square-meter facility features an integrated process covering fermentation, purification, and freeze-drying. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce over 100 tons of the protein, branded as Mellia, annually. This output is estimated to provide a sweetness equivalent to approximately 300,000 tons of sucrose.

Brazzein, naturally found in the West African Oubli fruit, is thousands of times sweeter than sugar and contains nearly zero calories. Bestzyme positions Mellia as a “final piece” for flavor profiles, intended to be blended with existing sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit to replicate the full taste of sucrose.

The company has already entered a commercial expansion phase in the United States, having received a “No Questions Letter” from the FDA regarding its GRAS status in May 2025. Mellia is currently being used in a sugar-free sparkling water brand in the U.S. In China, the company has submitted food additive applications to the National Health Commission. Bestzyme plans to double its production capacity within the next two years.