Stevia sweeteners have already hit on the radar screens of one in three moms, a PureCircle survey indicates – but the next step from awareness is building a good impression.
Replacing the sugar in strawberries with the natural sweetener stevia could lead to a new range of low-calorie dried fruit products, says a new study from the Americas.
Ahead of the Stevia World Europe conference in Frankfurt in November, business research firm KnowGenix has compiled a report detailing the quality, sustainability and taste issues that stevia still faces.
The first stevia-sweetened products have begun to emerge, but until the sweetener blend is perfected, they could potentially harm consumers’ interest in stevia, said a senior analyst at Mintel.
AHD is entering the stevia sweetener market in the US with an extract sourced from Japan; meanwhile, Sweet Green Fields has announced that it has received GRAS notification for its stevia from the FDA.
Industry-wide focus on flavor issues is crucial to the long term success of stevia-derived sweeteners, says the executive vice president of Reb A supplier Blue California.
Cerilliant has introduced two new certified reference standards for assessing the purity of Reb A, the high intensity all-natural sweetener from the leaves of the stevia plant.
Niutang is preparing to introduce its Reb A sweetener from stevia next year and is starting discussions with existing customers and new ones that have a parallel product development timeline.
Sweet Green Fields (SGF) has announced the opening of a new facility in China with annual production of 1,000 MT of finished product, doubling its current capacity.
Increasing demand for stevia and reb A may soon attract the adulterers to crash the party. Mel Jackson, VP science for Sweet Green Fields (SGF) told FoodNavigator that, as his company announces a doubling of their production capacity, the industry must...
US Pharmacopeia (USP) has developed a set of new reference standards for stevia-derived sweeteners Reb A and stevioside for inclusion in the Food Chemical Codex (FCC).
Manufacturers in France are gearing up to start using high purity stevia extract Reb A as soon as approval is signed off, according to a supplier, making use of an anticipated two-year window before full European approval.
Stevia leaders must show corporate social responsibility, as sales of sweeteners derived from the plant take off around the world, says conference speaker.
Speakers at the first day of Stevia World have focused on the potential of stevia sweeteners as mainstream sugar replacers, as well as their role in tackling surging rates of diet related ill health, such as diabetes.
Rebaudiside A does not pose any safety questions regarding genotoxicity, according to a new study that supports the safety profile of this up-and-coming sweetener.
Wild Flavors has said it is aggressively working toward external safety assessment of its stevia extracts as it becomes the latest company to announce the launch of a stevia flavor solutions range.
There has been much excitement about the promise of stevia as a natural alternative to artificial zero-calorie sweeteners. FoodNavigator.com summarises the science so far.
The potential of stevia-derived sweeteners for use in organic foods could be limited because of the plant’s diversified cultivation and Reb A’s processed nature, according to Euromonitor International.
Stevia’s expense compared to other sweeteners is a major market limitation, according to a new paper on the stevia market, although industry players say they are working to bring its price down.
The supply chain for stevia is sound and sustainable, says PureCircle, which is communicating the ethical values behind its high purity Reb-A sweetener in keeping with the natural image.
PureCircle has announced it has entered into a partnership with Cerilliant to develop and supply certified reference materials for its stevia-derived sweeteners, responding to demand for high quality Reb A.
A new partnership between a stevia supplier and a flavors and ingredients firm will speed the process of bringing low-calorie stevia-sweetened products to market, the companies claim.
Blue California has notified the FDA of GRAS for its stevia-based Reb-A sweetener and has said that it is confident of receiving a letter of non-objection after two other companies received FDA non-objection last month.
GLG Life Tech has announced six new stevia seed strains said to have a high content of Rebaudioside A (rebiana) – a development it says will enable direct planting in the fields.
One of the key trends in product development for 2009 will be natural additives able to keep consumers active, leading to searches for alternatives to caffeine and sugar, according to market research.
More stevia sweetened products are lining up for launch but campaigners are calling for the FDA decision that signaled that the sweetener could be used in food and beverages to be reversed.
The FDA has given the long-awaited green light for Reb A, the sweetener made from the stevia leaf, to be used in food and beverages - opening the flood gates for new product launches.
Sales of a stevia supplement across the US could hint at the potential demand for the natural sweetener in food and beverages as GRAS notification is expected within days.
The Australian food authority FSANZ has approved the natural sweetener steviol glycosides (stevia), as an ingredient in foods and beverages in Australia and New Zealand.
The march to bring stevia into the mainstream continues as GLG Life Tech Corporation has struck a deal with US-based Weider Global Nutrition to take the sweetener to mass markets around the globe.
The safety of stevia has been called into question again after scientists at the University of California said further tests were needed on potential cancer causing properties before the sweetener is used in food and drink.
The Greeks have a saying that goes something like this: ‘If you’re in too much of a rush, you’ll trip up’. The food and drinks industry could well benefit from the simplistic wisdom of such traditional advice as they race to bring the natural sweetener...
Olam and Wilmar have entered a joint venture to acquire a 20 per
cent stake in PureCircle in a partnership aimed at strengthening
the supply chain and increasing sales of natural high-intensity
stevia sweeteners.
Ingredients group Blue California says it expects to obtain
self-affirmed generally regarded as safe (GRAS) approval for its
stevia-derived sweetener compound by next month.
Nutrinova has announced progress in its mission to identify
compounds that could yield new natural sweeteners for the food and
beverage industry, in collaboration with BRAIN.
The hype surrounding stevia has been ratcheted up another notch
after the US's largest supplier announced it is launching the
natural sweetener beyond the dietary supplements aisle for the
first time.
Cargill yesterday gave a name to its stevia brand, further to the
publication of an overview of the science supporting the use of
rebiana as a sweetener.
A new stevia sweetener product has made its way into a number of
leading US retailers, where its manufacturer claims it is placed
side by side with the nation's top sweetener brands, despite its
regulatory status as a dietary...
