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.
Sensient Flavors has added its flavor masking technology to the raft of products that companies are offering to deal with potential off-notes associated with stevia-derived sweeteners.
Major Reb A supplier PureCircle has disputed recent suggestions that stevia’s potential for use in organic foods could be limited, although it agrees that certification poses problems.
Wild Flavors has said it is aggressively working toward external safety assessment of its stevia extracts as it becomes the latest company to announce the launch of a stevia flavor solutions range.
Major Reb A supplier PureCircle has quadrupled production capacity of stevia extracts at its Jiangxi plant in China as interest in stevia-derived sweeteners continues to grow.
There are now even more options for food manufacturers seeking to reformulate with stevia-derived sweeteners, as Cargill becomes the latest to launch a flavor range to deal with their potentially problematic aftertaste.
The potential of stevia-derived sweeteners for use in organic foods could be limited because of the plant’s diversified cultivation and Reb A’s processed nature, according to Euromonitor International.
Cargill has claimed that the market for its sucromalt sweetener will widen after acheiving FDA generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status last week, and as consumers increasingly demand healthier foods.
Stevia’s expense compared to other sweeteners is a major market limitation, according to a new paper on the stevia market, although industry players say they are working to bring its price down.
The USDA has chosen not to change laws on genetically engineered sugarbeets in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice requesting a review of deregulation for the beets last month.
Granular, a European stevia producer, has entered into a joint partnership to build a refinery for the natural sweetener in South America which it said will be environmentally neutral.
Sugar could be shedding its bad boy image to take a surprise spot on the public’s list of trusted ingredients, as manufacturers look to appeal to more savvy consumers.
Reb A is moving into the sports drink market as Dr Pepper Snapple becomes the first of the big three soft drinks manufacturers to release a zero-calorie sports drink sweetened with Reb A, the natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the stevia plant.
Dr Pepper Snapple has released an all-natural version of its iced tea which uses high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) instead of sugar, but has denied that it was driven by trends for natural ingredients or any consumer choice to avoid HFCS.
PureCircle has announced it has entered into a partnership with Cerilliant to develop and supply certified reference materials for its stevia-derived sweeteners, responding to demand for high quality Reb A.
A new partnership between a stevia supplier and a flavors and ingredients firm will speed the process of bringing low-calorie stevia-sweetened products to market, the companies claim.
Givaudan has claimed it has discovered the bitter taste receptors triggered by Reb-A, the natural, high intensity sweetener derived from the leaves of the stevia plant.
Food manufacturers need to better understand consumer tactics for dealing with the economic crisis and employ palatable strategies to answer to a fresh set of values, according to a report from Packaged Facts.
GLG Life Tech has upgraded its stevia processing line at its plant in China to boost its output of rebiana that is of a higher purity, which associated with a better taste profile.
PureCircle has appointed Jordi Ferre to its senior management team in the US to spearhead the commercial development of the all-natural, zero calorie stevia-derived sweetener, Rebaudioside A (Reb A).
The tabletop sweetener company Merisant Worldwide has filed for bankruptcy in a move which it says will free up more cash to invest in its new stevia-derived sweetener PureVia.
GLG Life Tech Corporation may open up stevia plants in other countries following the announcement that it has begun operations at two new processing facilities for the sweetener in China.
GLG Life Tech Corporation said it had underestimated the capacity of its two new stevia processing plants in China as projections have now nearly doubled.
Reb A supplier PureCircle has joined with Firmenich in an exclusive global collaboration which aims to provide a formula for applications using the stevia-derived sweetener, not just the ingredient.
More stevia sweetened products are lining up for launch but campaigners are calling for the FDA decision that signaled that the sweetener could be used in food and beverages to be reversed.
A flurry of activity has followed the FDA no objection letters for the stevia-derived sweetener, Reb A, to be used in food and beverages as two companies announce self-affirmed GRAS.
The FDA has given the long-awaited green light for Reb A, the sweetener made from the stevia leaf, to be used in food and beverages - opening the flood gates for new product launches.
As the drive to bring stevia to shop shelves steps up a gear, campaigners urge caution in what they see as a rush to market, saying FDA GRAS must come first.
Coca-Cola is expected to launch a drink sweetened with stevia in the US this week, according to reports, but there is still no word from the FDA on GRAS status.
The CEO of US firm Natur Research Ingredients, Loren Miles, is to promote the benefits of its Cweet Natural Intense Sweetener to the European market as it awaits regulatory approval.
As the stevia circus rumbles on, the need for certification to ensure quality and clarity has been highlighted by a company which develops analytical tools for ingredients reference standards.
Sales of a stevia supplement across the US could hint at the potential demand for the natural sweetener in food and beverages as GRAS notification is expected within days.
Cargill has entered into an exclusive agreement with ChromaDex to ensure quality and consistency of the natural sweetener stevia, as ingredients companies scrabble for position in an emerging market.
The merger agreement between Bunge and Corn Products International has been thrown into turmoil as CPI’s board has withdrawn its support for the $4.8bn deal.
The American Beverage Association is calling on the new 2010 dietary recommendations which are currently being revised to include a guideline on proper hydration.
The course of true love never did run smooth. The same could be said of stevia’s road to regulatory approval as a food ingredient. One final concerted effort is needed to ensure approval of this hot ingredient.
The march to bring stevia into the mainstream continues as GLG Life Tech Corporation has struck a deal with US-based Weider Global Nutrition to take the sweetener to mass markets around the globe.
The safety of stevia has been called into question again after scientists at the University of California said further tests were needed on potential cancer causing properties before the sweetener is used in food and drink.
As both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola gear up to launch beverages sweetened with stevia, it could be that their common supplier, PureCircle, is the real winner in the race to be first to market.
PepsiCo is whipping up a storm in the beverage industry as it raises the stakes against its old rival Coca-Cola with the launch of a new natural sweetener from the stevia plant.
High fructose corn syrup may be labeled natural when synthetic fixing agents do not come into contact with it during manufacturing, said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), fuelling further debate on the controversial sweetener.
Ingredients group Blue California says it expects to obtain
self-affirmed generally regarded as safe (GRAS) approval for its
stevia-derived sweetener compound by next month.
