Whether it’s because they’re battling a health condition, such as diabetes, or simply watching their weight, consumers are looking to avoid sugar. Meanwhile, certain sweetener alternatives have fallen out of public favor (justifiably so, or not).
Pepsi is launching a reduced-calorie soda in Australia that uses stevia, the first time the beverage maker is using the natural sweetener in its namesake cola.
Stevia has been long cultivated as a sweetener. The extracts of the leaves, steviol glycosides, are responsible for its sweet characteristics; the main two steviol glycosides are stevioside and rebaudioside A (reb A).
Vitiva, Slovenia, launches its stevia line under Sweet’nVit brand, providing maximum sweetness with minimum bitterness, following EC recent approval for use in food/beverage applications in Europe.
The International Stevia Council has applauded the final approval of the European Commission's Regulation to authorize the use of steviol glycosides as a non-caloric sweetener in the European market.
Chengdu Wagott Pharmaceuticals Co. has expanded its natural stevia extracts to a new range of tabletop Reb A sweetener formulations. In cooperation with Brenner pharma/food (Israel), Wagott is now offering three unique, private label product alternatives to mass market retail brands.
Comax Flavors will be highlighting a new stevia-masking flavor and a sweetness enhancer, both of which will be featured in specially developed sample beverages that will be offered to Fi Europe show attendees.