The international food safety authority Codex Alimentarius recently adopted a framework for steviol glycosides, which will enable companies internationally to use newer types of stevia leaf extracts for high-intensity sweeteners using the latest technologies, so long as they meet compliance with the framework’s approach.

Previously, the Codex Committee required that steviol glycoside products contain 95% steviol glycosides on a dried basis, namely, the major glycosides such as stevioside, and rebaudiosides (Reb) A, M, and D.

However, major advances in technology surrounding stevia extracts have been made in recent years, and newer extracts tend to taste less bitter and have less of an unfavorable aftertaste, mimicking the taste of sugar more closely. These new technologies extract glycosides which are found in much smaller proportions of the leaf more efficiently, such as Reb M and Reb D, which have better sensory profiles.

“Several minor glycosides have been determined to have more favorable sensory characteristics than the major glycosides,” the framework reads. “This has prompted development of new technologies to produce steviol glycosides with higher proportions of minor glycosides to modify the sensory profile of the articles of commerce. The current framework was developed to address steviol glycosides manufactured using the four existing methods.”

The four steviol glycoside technologies approved by Codex now include stevia leaf extract, steviol glycosides from bioconversion, steviol glycosides from fermentation, and glucosylated steviol glycosides.

Industry Reacts

“ISC was instrumental in getting this new framework approved, which benefits the entire stevia industry,” said Maria Teresa Scardigli, executive director of the International Stevia Council, a trade association representing the stevia industry. “The framework approach ensures that business operators can put steviol glycosides produced through their various technologies on the market without submitting new dossiers, provided they fulfill the defined criteria and specifications per technology.

“This is based on the authorities’ review of the production technology, ensuring the highest level of safety, purity, and quality is achieved for the final steviol glycoside ingredient put on the market.”

Also, the new regulation broadens the options on how stevia is used, and gives flexibility of using stevia from different production technologies, depending on formulations.
“As we look forward to 2022 and beyond, we are confident that our organization will continue to make strides in terms of our vision and strategic imperatives,” Scardigli said. “Our mission is to improve the diets and health of people globally by addressing sugars and calories in food, to support stevia and steviol glycosides as safe and trusted sweeteners, and to promote its wide variety of uses as a sweetener.”

Sweegen, a product developer specializing in sugar reduction technologies, and member of the International Stevia Council, also applauded the Codex decision. The company specializes in all four stevia extraction technologies mentioned in the framework including bioconversion.

“The new codex framework is timely as the benefits of steviol glycosides, the sweet component in the stevia leaf, fit into the broader health and wellness narrative, which is something consumers want to see more of, and global food and beverage manufacturers want greater access to,” said Luca Giannone, senior vice president of sales at Sweegen.

For Sweegen, and likely other suppliers, this means a more streamlined, regional approach to adopting new production technologies, the company said.

“With this framework, most countries in the world will gradually adopt this standard, and our global stevia footprint can expand more rapidly into countries where we are seeking approval for offering our pure, clean, and great-tasting Signature Bestevia ingredients produced by bioconversion,” Giannone said. “The adopted framework is good news for brands that want greater access to Sweegen’s pure and clean tasting stevia ingredients, Reb D, E, M, and more. By leveraging proprietary bioconversion technology, we start with the stevia leaf, and with the support of enzymes, produce a final product that is a single purified steviol glycoside, not a mixture, that naturally occurs in the stevia leaf.”