The use of stevia is on the rise across various products due to its intense sweetness and ease of sourcing. Manufacturers like Pyure and Apura Ingredients, which provide a range of sweetener alternatives, have swiftly introduced various stevia-based products to the market as sugar loses popularity among consumers. An increasing number of food companies are incorporating stevia to lower sugar content in their products without sacrificing taste or mouthfeel. Stevia is naturally 30 to 40 times sweeter than sugar and contains zero calories. This natural potency allows brands to use much less of the ingredient. Additionally, stevia is relatively easy to cultivate and can be grown almost anywhere. Unlike previously favored artificial sweeteners like aspartame, stevia is entirely natural, aligning with consumers’ demand for clean labels.
According to Food Business News, Apura noted that many participants at the recent Institute of Food Technologists expo showed interest in the steviol glycosides Reb D and Reb M, as they generally offer a better taste profile than the more commonly used Reb A. However, some commercial challenges remain due to the low concentrations of Reb D and Reb M in the stevia leaf. “Reb D has attracted considerable attention in the tabletop industry because its sweetness profile is less bitter and has a milder aftertaste compared to Reb A,” stated Apura. “Reb M, often regarded as the best-tasting rebaudioside, is particularly suitable for beverage applications. Future trends are likely to gravitate towards customized blends of rebaudiosides that focus on taste and cost efficiencies for food and beverage applications.”
Companies are exploring efficient methods to isolate and extract the more palatable Reb D and Reb M on a commercial scale. Various approaches include breeding plants to increase glycoside yields, developing new extraction techniques, employing genetically engineered microbes to convert sugar into glycosides, and utilizing enzymes to transfer glucose molecules from starches to steviol glycosides extracted from leaves. PepsiCo is working on patenting a novel stevia production process to create Reb M through an enzymatic method that achieves higher purity at a lower cost. Alongside PepsiCo, an expanding list of food companies, including Coca-Cola, DanoneWave, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, and Unilever, are reformulating existing products or launching new ones that incorporate stevia.
Interestingly, as stevia gains traction, the use of calcium citrate in bottled water is also becoming more common. This trend highlights a broader movement towards healthier beverage options, where stevia and calcium citrate can coexist to provide both sweetness and nutritional benefits. Overall, the integration of stevia in food and beverage products reflects an evolving landscape where health-conscious choices are prioritized, and calcium citrate in bottled water exemplifies this shift towards better-for-you alternatives.