Stevia suppliers have been partnering with sugar companies with the aim of blending the two sweeteners for more sucrose-like taste and lower calories – but the success of hybrid sweeteners relies on consumer acceptance.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has said it expects Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognition of its proprietary steviol glycoside blends as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the end of the year.
Beverages formulated with stevia are preferred by consumers over similar products sweetened with sugar or other common high intensity sweeteners, says new research from Croatia.
Major stevia supplier PureCircle has established an institute with the stated aim of providing a consistent voice on the science behind the zero-calorie plant-derived sweetener.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has narrowed its first quarter loss from $1.5m to $1.3m as it continued to capitalize on growing demand for the zero-calorie sweetener, the company said.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has announced that it is looking to develop agricultural and extraction facilities for stevia in India, as well as market its stevia extracts in the nation.
Stevia supplier PureCircle has entered into a deal with S&W Seed Company to trial new varieties of stevia plants that could be grown in California in the near future, the company has said.
Stevia supplier PureCircle has signed an agreement with Michigan State University for research and breeding of new stevia plant varieties for greater concentration of sweet components.
Patents filed by PepsiCo and Cargill reveal they are exploring new sources of natural sweeteners from oats and monatin, a naturally-occurring substance found in a plant grown in South Africa.
Natural sweeteners may account for up to a quarter of the global intense sweeteners market by the middle of the next decade, according to a new report from Leatherhead International.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has announced collaborative agreements in two key markets for the plant-derived sweetener: Australasia and South America.
GLG Life Tech has reported a 323 percent increase in revenue during 2009 as food and drink manufacturers continue to develop and launch new products containing its stevia-derived sweeteners.
GLG Life Tech and Weider Global Nutrition have agreed to drop lawsuits against each other and continue selling their stevia-derived sweeteners separately, dissolving their Sweet Naturals partnership.
A rat study from Princeton University has claimed that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) consumption could play a major role in ballooning obesity rates – but some have challenged the study’s methodology.
Consuming low-calorie sweetened beverages may not lead to eating more as compensation for the lower calorie load, according to the results of a new human trial.
PureCircle and Imperial Sugar have launched a joint venture to offer sugar and stevia combinations to the food and beverage industry as it looks to meet consumer demand for natural lower calorie products.
BioVittoria has received an FDA letter of no objection that its fruit-derived zero-calorie Fruit-Sweetness sweetener is GRAS (generally recognized as safe), the company said on Monday.
Sweetener company Merisant has completed its financial restructuring and emerged from bankruptcy after one year, having slashed its debt and interest expense.
Redpoint Bio has revealed that is RP44 sweetness enhancer is in fact Reb-C, a component of stevia and a side stream of Reb-A production. It could be used in conjunction with Reb-A and sugar to lower calorie levels further than previously possible.
There is no evidence that sugar-addictive behaviors suggested by animal studies exist for humans, claims the author of a new scientific review published in Clinical Nutrition.
Olam has increased its stake in stevia company PureCircle to 20 percent, citing strong growth prospects for the company, and making PureCircle an associated company of Olam.
Tabletop sweetener company Merisant has had its plan of reorganization approved, which should pave the way for it to emerge from bankruptcy in the coming weeks, the company has said.
Purac has become the latest company to release a natural flavor masker to help drinks makers deal with the reported bitter or licorice-like aftertaste sometimes experienced with stevia sweeteners.
Stevia could help ready-to-eat cereal manufacturers reduce the sugar content in their products without affecting taste, according to stevia-derived sweetener manufacturer PureCircle.
The strong trend toward natural products is unlikely to encroach significantly on the market for artificial sweeteners, according to sucralose manufacturer JK Sucralose.
Sweetener company PureCircle has raised $67.18m through share placing to invest in the development of its natural sweetener products made from stevia leaves.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has filed a statement of defense against allegations from Weider Global Nutrition that it had breached conditions of their joint stevia business by setting up its own sales team.
‘Moderate’ consumption of fructose-containing sweeteners may produce ‘modest but significant changes’ that may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, says a new rat study.
Senomyx has received notification from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) that its new sucrose enhancing flavor ingredient is GRAS (generally recognized as safe).
PepsiCo’s Aquafina Plus Vitamins 10 Cal has become the first mainstream stevia-sweetened beverage to be launched on the Canadian market by using natural health product rules, the company said.
The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) has launched a new advertising campaign in an effort to dispel consumer misconceptions about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
The sugar industry has engaged with stevia supplier PureCircle at the World Sugar Trade Conference in Singapore this week in order to explore ways in which sugar and stevia can work together.
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.
The Corn Refiners Association has said it is very pleased that Dr Barry Popkin has revoked an earlier theory about high fructose corn syrup’s link to obesity – but how much can industry do to mend its reputation?
Cost issues remain for stevia-derived sweetener Reb A although annual sales are likely to reach $700m over the next five years, according to a new report on the US stevia market from Rabobank.
Corn Products International’s Mexican affiliate CP Ingredientes has been awarded $58.386m in damages by a NAFTA tribunal after Mexico placed discriminatory taxes on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
A US Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has reopened a consumer-fraud case against Dr Pepper Snapple alleging that Snapple’s ‘all-natural’ label claim is misleading as the drink contains an artificial sweetener.
BASF has entered into partnership with a Brazilian research centre to develop genetically modified sugarcane with higher yields and greater tolerance to drought.
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.
The FDA’s non-objection in December that the stevia-derived sweetener Reb A was generally recognized as safe (GRAS) was greeted with much fanfare – but how has it been received so far by industry and consumers?
With over 300m obese adults worldwide, it is no wonder that the food industry is keen to offer tasty possibilities to consumers looking to lose weight, and keep it off. The trend is now becoming 'unstoppable', say industry executives.
Bell Flavors and Fragrances has developed a range of honey replacers to respond to uncertainties on the global honey market as colony collapse disorder (CCD) has diminished bee colonies around the world.
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.
Researchers claim to have discovered a particular gene variant that could affect sweetness perception among different ethnic groups, raising the possibility of more targeted flavor profiling of foods.
At the IFT trade show in Anaheim, Caroline Scott-Thomas followed the naturally sourced trend tour, and caught up with some of the companies highlighting natural products at the show.
