By James Bliss, Commercial Director, discusses the recent announcement that the full range of stevia will now be easier to access due to a framework being adopted by Codex.
The international food safety authority Codex Alimentarius (Codex) recently announced that they have adopted a framework that includes four different technologies for producing steviol glycosides. These four production technologies include; sweetener stevia leaf extract, steviol glycosides from bioconversion, steviol glycosides from fermentation and glucosylated steviol glycosides.
The adoption of the new framework means that it will make it quicker and simpler for food manufacturers to adopt the use of stevia in a broader range of applications. According to the International Stevia Council (ISC) this “will enable greater access to the full range of stevia ingredients to a significant portion of the world…”. ISC Executive Director, Maria Teresa Scardigli, stated
“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.”
Broader food applications, fewer legislative barriers – full range of stevia
In simple terms this means that food manufacturers will be able to use the steviol glucoside derivative best suited to their needs to achieve the optimum result with fundamentally fewer legislative barriers. The market for stevia continues to grow and with this latest announcement it is predicted that more food producers will take advantage of the benefits of stevia. It is estimated that over the last 10 years global product launches with stevia have increased by 21.9%.
Many sugar alternatives are in short supply
In my opinion this announcement has come at an opportune time with the availability of many other sugar alternatives being in short supply. The current challenges globally with production as well as supply chains issues relating to many sugar alternatives has driven food manufactures to look at alternative raw materials. These difficulties have come at a juncture when food producers are under increasing pressure to reformulate their products to reduce the sugar content. The availability of a broader range of naturally derived stevia is of great benefit.
We can assist with the full range of stevia, sucralose, erythritol, maltodextrins and agave syrup
Here at NCC Food Ingredients we have been able to secure sources of sugar alternatives for our customers, including second-generation stevia, sucralose, erythritol, maltodextrins and agave syrup. Fortunately, many of these sweeteners will result in minor changes to formulations that contain a presently hard to get sugar alternative.
Our second-generation stevia is a particularly good fit for many food producers seeking to reduce or remove sugar. A natural product, second-generation stevia provides the following benefits:
- Similar sweetness profile to sugar
- Enhanced taste profile and mouth feel compared to other artificial sweeteners
- Reduced bitter aftertaste
- Low molecular weight, increased solubility, and adsorption by food products
- Low calorie
- Thermally stable
- pH tolerant
- Long shelf life
- Produced in a facility which is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, GMP approved as well as FDA and GRS approved
We are able to offer a range of different grades which range in sweetness from 80 times as sweet as sugar to 180 times as sweet as sugar. For further information please read our Stevia sales sheet.
About NCC Food ingredients
If you’re a food manufacture based in the UK or Ireland and are finding it challenging to source a particular sugar alternative, then we can assist. At NCC Food Ingredients we have assisted customers in sourcing sugar alternatives. We have considerable experience in reformulation as well as the development of new food products. Our knowledge and assistance have resulted in going above and beyond what our customers expected. Leading to strong sales and repeat orders. Our customer base ranges from international producers of foods and beverages to small niche artisan creators of fine foods. If you wish to know more, fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch.
