The Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) has updated its Information Statement on Stevia, which covers EU regulatory changes to mid-2018.
It also includes information on newer, minor glycosides such as reb D and reb M, and additional production techniques involving fermentation and biotransformation.
Leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) are the source of steviol glycosides, a group of high-potency, zero-calorie sweeteners.
Permitted as sweeteners in the EU since December 2011, steviol glycosides offer an opportunity to reduce the added sugar in a range of foods and beverages without loss of sweetness or reliance on synthetic sweeteners.
Although steviol glycosides may not be called “natural” in the EU, food labels often draw attention to glycosides’ origin in the leaf.
