Monk Fruit Extract (Mogroside V)
Sugars & Alternative Sweeteners · 8 specs
Direct Answer
Monk fruit (luo han guo, Siraitia grosvenorii) extract derives its sweetness from mogrosides, a group of triterpene glycosides concentrated from the fruit's flesh. The dominant compound, Mogroside V, is roughly 250 times sweeter than sucrose, non-caloric, and has zero glycemic impact -- though most commercial "monk fruit sweetener" products blend it with erythritol or another bulking agent rather than selling pure mogroside extract.
Source: FDA GRAS Notices (Siraitia grosvenorii extracts, since 2011) / Wikipedia · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Sweetening Compound | Mogroside V (dominant of several mogrosides present) |
| Relative Sweetness Index | ~250 (250x sucrose, for Mogroside V specifically) |
| Energy / Calories | 0 (Non-caloric) kcal |
| Glycemic Index (GI) | 0 (Zero insulin spike) |
| US Regulatory Status | GRAS (FDA, since 2011) |
| EU Regulatory Status | Not approved (Novel Food dossier still pending as of 2023 EFSA review) |
| Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) | Not established by JECFA/EFSA (unlike stevia's formal ADI) |
| Typical Commercial Form | Usually blended with erythritol or another bulking agent, not sold as pure mogroside extract |
A US-Approved, EU-Unapproved Sweetener
Raw monk fruit flesh contains mogrosides at only around 1% by weight; commercial extracts concentrate this to as much as 80% mogrosides through solvent extraction. The FDA granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status to Siraitia grosvenorii extracts in 2011, but the EU's food safety authority reached a different conclusion: as of its 2019/2023 novel-food review, EFSA found the submitted safety data insufficient, leaving monk fruit extract without EU market approval -- a genuine regulatory split worth knowing if sourcing or shipping the ingredient internationally, not just a formality.
Unlike stevia, which has a JECFA-established Acceptable Daily Intake, no formal ADI has been set for monk fruit extract, reflecting its more limited body of long-term safety literature relative to stevia's decades of study.