Dec 7 2011 --- Stevia has been approved for the EU, meaning that products sweetened with stevia can now be introduced to the market immediately. This enables the food and beverage industry to develop calorie reduced products without using artificial sweeteners for the first time.

As one of the world's leading producers, marketers and suppliers of technology-based ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food and beverage industry, Doehler (Döhler) is well prepared. The company has developed a natural sweetening system for products with a particularly well-balanced taste profile under the MultiSweet Stevia brand. MultiSweet Stevia makes it possible to reduce 5-6 Brix of sugar, depending on the product.

The highly developed flavour technology of Sweetness Improving Technology (SIT) significantly improves stevia's sensory properties. Through cooperation with PureCircle, a leading manufacturer and marketer of natural stevia sweeteners, Doehler has access to premium stevia ingredients of the highest purity grade and of consistent quality.

Doehler has developed products sweetened with MultiSweet Stevia in all relevant beverage and dairy categories. The range extends from carbonated soft drinks, still drinks, sports drinks, tea beverages, nectars, beer mixes and syrups to milk & fruit, milk mixes, dairy beverages, drinking yoghurt, spoonable yoghurt and desserts.

"This is the real advantage of Doehler. Thanks to many years of experience in applications and a comprehensive ingredient portfolio, we know how the individual components of a product react to each other. This is crucial to developing beverages and food products with impressive sensory profiles. That is why our beverage applications with MultiSweet Stevia were welcomed by industry experts at the FIE and Anuga trade fairs this year," said Harald Krug (Head of Product Management, Tea/Coffee/Herbal Extracts/Sweeteners, DoehlerGroup).