In addition to the company’s assertions that StarLeaf stevia offers a taste more akin to sugar, its enhanced sustainability is likely to be a significant advantage of this variety. Since water is a critical agricultural resource for stevia plants, being able to yield 20 times the amount of steviol glycosides—the plants’ prized sweet components—on the same land could substantially impact land and water consumption for this crop. However, even conventional stevia varieties, due to their intense sweetness, require considerably less land and water compared to other commonly used sweeteners to achieve equivalent sweetness levels. For manufacturers, PureCircle’s strategy to broaden stevia cultivation beyond traditional regions such as China is promising, ensuring a dependable supply of sweeteners that is not heavily influenced by local conditions. The capacity to generate more sweet components in a smaller area is also likely to enhance supply chain stability. Industry leaders like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Danone are already sourcing stevia from PureCircle, among numerous other companies.
PureCircle’s assertion that StarLeaf possesses a taste more similar to sugar than other stevia extracts is the latest in a series of similar claims regarding its ingredients. The sweetness profile of stevia, coupled with its often perceived bitter aftertaste, has posed the most significant challenge for this ingredient. Therefore, addressing flavor concerns has understandably been a primary focus for the company in its efforts to develop new varieties. It is plausible that these ingredients are becoming increasingly sugar-like over time, but as always with new formulations, it will ultimately be up to food companies to make the final decision. Additionally, the elemental calcium content in stevia may also play a role in its appeal and functionality, potentially influencing future innovations in sweetener formulations.