Press release -

Clarification on Maximum Use Levels for Stevia

PRESS RELEASE 23 JANUARY 2012

The EU approval of purified stevia extracts (steviol glycosides) as a food additive, which took effect on 2 December 2011, has lead to an increased development activity among food and beverage manufacturers. However, the maximum use levels of the new sweetener are expressed as steviol equivalents and not as steviol glycosides. This makes all maximum levels appear about three times lower than they actually are and is creating some confusion among some of the manufacturers formulating with stevia. 

Steviol is a molecule that is common to the molecular structure of all steviol glycosides, the compounds that give the stevia leaf its sweet taste. As the various steviol glycosides have different molecular weights, the JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Committee on Food Additives) suggested that the concentrations/amounts of steviol glycosides should be expressed as steviol content- and so is the ADI for steviol glycosides. To obtain the steviol equivalents of the different steviol glycosides, their amounts should be multiplied by the factors given in the table presented in the pdf.

As an example, let’s look into the maximum level of our product “Real SteviaTM Reb A 85” in a flavoured beverage:

With an overall purity of steviol glycosides of 95%, Real Stevia
TM Reb A 85 contains 85% Reb A, 7% Stevioside and 3% Reb C. Looking at the table above, we can see that the conversion from steviol equivalents to respectively, Reb A, Stevioside and Reb C are: 0.329, 0.395 and 0.334.

Considering that the maximum level as expressed in steviol equivalents for flavoured beverages is 80mg/l, the maximum level for Real Stevia
TM Reb A 85 is:
   
80/(0.329*0.85 + 0.395*0.07 + 0.334*0.03)= 252mg/l

As a conclusion, one can use up to 252mg/l of Real Stevia Reb A 85 in flavoured beverages, and not a maximum of 80mg/l, as it might appear if one misses the footnotes in the regulation.

For more information, please contact:

Florence Berglund
Head of Marketing & Communications 
florence.berglund@realstevia.com or +46 73 383 6537


Topics

  • Food, Drink

Categories

  • sustainable stevia

Granular AB, The Real Stevia Company, är ett svenskt företag grundat 2003, som producerar och säljer  steviaextrakt till den globala livsmedelsindustrin. The Real Stevia Company samarbetar med små jordbrukare i Paraguay och andra länder där steviaplantan odlas och har på så sätt kontroll över hela leveranskedjan. Företaget strävar efter att tillhandahålla en både socialt och miljömässigt hållbar produkt som kan bidra till att höja odlarnas levnadsstandard och samtidigt uppfylla kvalitets- och säkerhetskraven från den Europeiska livsmedelsindustrin. Vi hjälper våra kunder att ta fram attraktiva, välsmakande och hälsosammare stevia-sötade konsumentprodukter.

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