BioNeutra Inc. -- makers of VitaSugarTM natural sweetener -- hosted a sod-turning ceremony today to signal the construction of a $6 million facility that will house the company's corporate headquarters, research activities, lab and pilot-scale manufacturing plant. The building will be located in Edmonton Research Park.

BioNeutra is a leading biotech/functional food and ingredients company based in Edmonton, Alberta that is engaged in the research and development, production and commercialization of natural food ingredients.

BioNeutra officials were joined by the Honorable Dave Hancock, Government of Alberta Minister of Health and Wellness, City of Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, and Myron Borys, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation Vice-president of Economic Development for the official ceremony today.

The phase-one, 26, 000 sq. ft. building will be constructed on a four-acre parcel of land leased by the company under EEDC's biotechnology leasing program. When Phase 2 is completed, the BioNeutra Centre will exceed 50,000 sq. ft.

"Edmonton has always been a strong supporter of our company and our natural ingredients and products," says Dr. Jianhua Zhu, president and CEO of BioNeutra Inc. "Our objective is to become a leader in transforming natural products into better health."

The new building will contain a state-of-the-art research and development facility focused on producing oligosaccharides from North American starch sources. This facility is the first in its field to be located in and initially targeted to the North American market, with global markets within its reach.

BioNeutra's branded product VitaSugarTM isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO) is a natural fiber sweetener mainstream and functional food ingredient. VitaSugarTM is GRAS affirmed and can be manufactured from various starch sources enabling food formulators and processors ingredient price stability versus that of single crop source ingredients.
For more information on BioNeutra Inc. and VitaSugarTM visit www.bioneutra.ca.

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