PureCircle stevia ingredients receive positive opinion from EFSA

Published: 5-Aug-2021

Upon final approval from the European Commission, the range of stevia ingredients produced through bioconversion of stevia leaf extracts, will be commercially available

PureCircle – now operating as ‘PureCircle by Ingredion’, a stevia ingredient producer, has received a positive safety opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the use of its Reb M, Reb D and Reb AM stevia ingredients produced through bioconversion of stevia leaf extracts. The opinion also recognises there are up to 60 molecules from the stevia leaf which are safe for consumption.

Upon final approval from the European Commission, expected to be published later in the year, the range of stevia ingredients produced through bioconversion of stevia leaf extracts, will be commercially available to European food and beverage manufacturers.

PureCircle’s proprietary technologies and stevia experience enable the company to maximise the output of each stevia leaf. This results in more sustainable, efficient stevia plants which yield optimised quantities of stevia ingredients and reduced overall waste, the company claims, compared to conventional stevia leaf varieties.

Sue Bancroft, PureCircle EMEA, commented: “With nearly 1 out of 2 consumers concerned with sugar, related to health issues, it’s clear that today’s consumers are seeking to limit the sugar in their diets and reduce calories, not with artificial sweeteners, but with ingredients that are naturally derived. As such, ‘PureCircle by Ingredion’ has invested significant time and resource in the optimisation of what the stevia plant can do and building the most robust portfolio of stevia ingredients.

“As a result, food and beverage formulators across Europe committed to formulating a complete and balanced sugar reduction solution that consumers love, have long benefitted from PureCircle’s range of plant-based, stevia leaf sweeteners and flavour modifiers, the most comprehensive and widest range available. Derived from leaf extract, these yield significantly greater percentages of the stevia molecules compared to conventional commercial stevia varieties.

“We are delighted that following the EFSA’s positive safety opinion, food and beverage manufacturers will soon be able to access PureCircle’s stevia ingredients from bioconversion. Produced from a process that mirrors the plant’s natural ingredient production process, the range provides a non-GM stevia leaf ingredient that is clean tasting, has a sugar-like sweetness with none of the calories and with no ingredient separation, and is fully scalable to improve cost-in-use.”

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