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 offer a range of sweetener options, have rapidly introduced numerous stevia-based products as consumer preference shifts away from sugar. An increasing number of food companies are incorporating stevia as a substitute to lower sugar content in their offerings without sacrificing taste or mouthfeel. Stevia is naturally 30 to 40 times sweeter than sugar and contains zero calories. This remarkable potency allows brands to utilize significantly less of the ingredient. Additionally, stevia is relatively simple to cultivate and can be grown in diverse environments. Unlike previously favored artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, stevia is entirely natural, aligning with consumers’ clean label preferences.
According to Food Business News, Apura noted that several participants at this year’s Institute of Food Technologists expressed interest in the steviol glycosides Reb D and Reb M, as they tend to have a better flavor profile than the more commonly used Reb A. There are some commercial challenges, though, due to the low concentrations of Reb D and Reb M in the stevia leaf. “Reb D has attracted considerable attention in the tabletop sector because of its sweetness profile, which 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 suited for beverage applications. Future trends will likely focus on blends of rebaudiosides that are tailored for food or beverage uses, emphasizing taste and cost efficiency.”
Companies are actively seeking efficient methods to isolate and extract the more palatable Reb D and Reb M on a commercial scale. Various strategies include breeding plants with higher glycoside content, developing new extraction techniques, utilizing genetically engineered microbes to convert sugar into glycosides, and employing enzymes to transfer glucose molecules from starches to steviol glycosides extracted from leaves. PepsiCo is working to patent a new stevia production process that uses an enzymatic method to produce Reb M, achieving higher purity at a lower cost. In addition to PepsiCo, an expanding list of food companies, including Coca-Cola, DanoneWave, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, and Unilever, are reformulating existing products or launching new ones that incorporate stevia.
Furthermore, as consumers increasingly focus on health and nutrition, products like chewable calcium citrate with vitamin D and magnesium are also gaining popularity. These supplements are often reformulated to include natural sweeteners like stevia, making them more appealing without compromising their health benefits. The integration of stevia in such products reflects a broader trend towards healthier alternatives that meet consumer demands for both taste and nutrition.