Dec 8 2011 --- Food Ingredients Europe captured the widespread excitement for stevia in the EU and industry wide. PureCircle exhibited its reputation for leading global stevia innovation through showcasing its breakthrough proprietary ingredient, PureCircle Alpha. In the fast moving new market, PureCircle revealed its offering has expanded well beyond Reb A, and gave visitors a taste of applications with their newest portfolio addition to prove it.

PureCircle’s newest stevia ingredient, PureCircle Alpha, was a hit among tasters. The zero-calorie stevia ingredient is a proprietary combination of steviol glycosides, which provides a more rounded sweetness and less bitterness than existing stevia sweeteners. The unique, natural ingredient was designed for deeper 50-100% calorie reductions and to better appeal to European tastes. PureCircle Alpha can be used in a diverse range of foods and beverages and it is exceptionally well-suited for acidic dairy applications. The ingredient further expands PureCircle’s portfolio of stevia ingredients and flavours, including Reb A, SG95, stevia-sucrose combination, and natural flavours.

At the PureCircle sponsored stevia module, Jordi Ferre, President Commercial Division, PureCircle Ltd., highlighted that PureCircle’s innovation of next generation stevia products, like PureCircle Alpha, is only possible with ownership and control of the supply chain.

“PureCircle’s ownership of the supply chain goes beyond 3rd party management. We directly control the process from the very beginning, with the breeding of proprietary seedlings through to the extractions and purification of proprietary ingredients,” explains Ferre. “Supply chain ownership allows us to develop next generation stevia ingredients with the speed, scale, and reliable high quality needed to benefit our customers. This a clear advantage that PureCircle has over other stevia producers.”

Jason Hecker, Vice President Global Marketing & Innovation, PureCircle Ltd. added, “It was clear from the buzz around stevia at FiE, that European food and beverage manufacturers are ready to bring exciting new products to market. Those that have been working with PureCircle over the past several years have been progressing their formulations with the benefit of our latest innovations. For those that had not, the feedback was consistent, “I had no idea how good stevia could be.”