Government approval prompts Ingredion to expand stevia portfolio

PureCircle will now be able to offer ingredients from bioconversion in the United Kingdom – including Reb D and Reb M – in addition to its broad portfolio of existing stevia sweeteners and natural flavour modifiers, following the UK government publishing a new specification authorising PureCircle by Ingredion’s range of steviol glycosides produced via bioconversion in the UK from the 28th of June 2024.

As these sweeteners are already approved for use in the EU, this approval will allow food and beverage manufacturers to use the same stevia technologies in both markets.

PureCircle’s bioconversion process mirrors the plant’s natural ingredient production process, creating a non-GM stevia sweetener with high sweetness quality, clean taste and zero calories in use. As stevia matures from seedling to full-grown plant, various stevia ingredients are formed. By adding enzymes to purified stevia leaf extract, the maturation of Reb M is completed, just as the leaf does naturally.

Sue Bancroft, director, healthful solutions, EMEA noted the approval of PureCircle’s proprietary bioconversion process in the UK empowers food and beverage businesses with the choice to explore the best stevia solutions for their specific product and application.

“Whether from leaf extract or bioconversion, this approval opens the door for companies to create better tasting products, without the calories,” Bancroft added.

Ingredion is encouraging food and beverage companies to take advantage of PureCircle’s broader portfolio of Clean Taste Solutions now that they have access to steviol glycosides from bioconversion. The sweetening solutions are 100 per cent stevia tailored to achieve optimised taste performance based on a food and beverage brand’s product category and sugar reduction target.

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