Why is mogroside so popular around the world?

The sugar reduction trend is sweeping the world, but why is mogroside so prominent?

Background
Beginning in 2024, 27 European and American countries have incorporated "sugar reduction" into their national food strategies. Singapore has even enacted legislation banning the advertising of high-sugar beverages. China's "Healthy China 2030" plan explicitly calls for a further 20% reduction in the average daily intake of added sugar. Under these regulatory pressures, beverage, dairy, and bakery brands must find alternatives that are "natural, safe, and without compromising on taste."

Consumer Behavior
Consumers are increasingly concerned about clean ingredient lists, demanding zero sugar, zero fat, and zero calories, as well as plant-based sources. Mogroside is one of the few high-intensity sweeteners that can be directly labeled "Lo Han Guo Extract" on the label, maximizing its natural properties.

Manufacturer

Previously, over 50% of mogroside was extracted through water extraction and resin, resulting in low yields and a strong bitterness. Later, through the maturation of a three-pronged technology approach: ultrasonic countercurrent, enzymatic debittering, and membrane separation, purity was increased from 30% to 60%, reducing the cost per ton by 38% and achieving a taste as clean as sucrose. This technological breakthrough has made mogroside a new trend.

Market Estimates
The global monk fruit extract market will be worth 1.52 billion yuan in 2024 and will approach 6 billion yuan in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 21.4%, significantly higher than the 9% growth rate for stevia.

Is Mogroside Really Better Than Stevia and Erythritol?

Sweetness Comparison (Based on 1x the Sweetness of Sucrose)
• Mogroside V 50%: 0.35g Meets the Standard
• Stevia RA97: 0.45g Meets the Standard
• Erythritol: 10g is Required to Meet the Standard

Price Premium
Mogroside carries its own natural cultural IP, and North American consumers are willing to pay a 15–20% premium for it. For the same 500mL tea drink, using mogroside to make it "sugar-free" is $1 more expensive than using aspartame at retail, yet it still sells over 100,000 units per month. Using stevia only costs $0.30 more, and the repurchase rate is 18% lower.

Combination Bonus
Erythritol + Mogroside: 99.5:0.5 "Table sugar" formulas are more popular with the general public. Mogroside plays the finishing touch here—even with a minimal amount, it can elevate "zero sugar" to "natural zero sugar."

How to choose the right mogroside raw material to avoid pitfalls?

Look at the specifications:
Beverages, dairy products, and baked goods have completely different requirements for clarity, color, and bitterness.
• Clear beverages: Be sure to choose a high-purity product with a purity of 40% or more and an E50 color value of ≤ 0.2 for a 1% aqueous solution. Otherwise, browning is likely to occur after sterilization.
• Baked fillings: For high-sugar, high-oil systems, a 25–30% specification can be used, reducing costs by 20%. After baking at 180°C for 15 minutes, the retention rate remains at least 95%.
• Health supplement hard capsules: Use a 50% or more specification with an ash content of ≤ 1% to reduce the proportion of fillers and increase the active ingredient content per capsule.

Look at the solubility:
Mogroside V A tetracyclic triterpene, its solubility in pure water is only 0.8 g/L. However, pre-dissolving it in 10% alcohol or adding a small amount of erythritol co-crystals can increase it to 15 g/L, solving the cold dissolution problem of 100% fruit juice. Reputable suppliers will provide a solubility curve to avoid batch scrapping due to crystallization and precipitation during scale-up production.

Consider Certification and Compliance:
European and American exports must be inspected for 511 pesticide residues, 4 heavy metals, and aflatoxins. Exceeding any of these criteria will result in the entire batch being rejected. Choose sost biotech for a factory with complete USDA Organic, EU Organic, ISO22000, and FSSC22000 certifications.

Consider Production Capacity and Delivery:
Monk fruit is harvested in large quantities from September to November each year. Suppliers without a 2,000-ton fresh fruit cold storage facility and four continuous extraction lines will likely run out of stock after the Spring Festival.

SOST BIOTECH owns a Luo Han Guo cultivation base and a GMP 100,000-class purification facility, processing 8,000 tons of fresh fruit annually and providing a stable supply of:
• Mogrosides powder from 10% to 50% in a full range of specifications, supporting customization for beverage, baking, and health supplement grades

Contact us:ericyang@xasost.com