New Regulations on Sweeteners Broaden Options for Food and Beverage Companies

21 Oct 2016 --- With the European Commission amending its current steviol glycocide specifications on 3 November 2016, European food and beverage companies will be able to rely on the broader portfolio of Cargill’s ViaTech stevia sweeteners to help them achieve optimal sweetness and dramatic sugar reductions in their most challenging applications, like carbonated soft drinks.

Under the existing legislation, sweeteners made from steviol glycosides need to consist of at least 75 percent stevioside and/or rebaudioside A (Reb A), limiting the ViaTech sweetener options available to food and beverage manufacturers in Europe. The updated European Commission legislation removes the 75 percent restriction and allows any combination of the 11 approved steviol glycosides as alternatives to Reb A as the predominant components.

“Cargill has extensive sweetness expertise, including a deep knowledge of the steviol glycosides and the development capabilities needed to find the best-tasting solutions for customers,” said Andy Ohmes, global product line manager for Cargill. “The updated legislation opens doors for European food and food beverage companies who want to reduce calories without compromising a great taste.”

“Cargill is the sweetener expert, with the broadest portfolio in the industry,” Ohmes tells FoodIngredientsFirst, “We offer a complete portfolio of sweetening solutions, both nutritive and non-nutritive, including sugar, corn syrups, erythritol and of course stevia from leaf, which we were first to introduce in the US market  in 2008.”

“EU customers will now have the opportunity to experience our full portfolio of ViaTech stevia sweeteners that have great sweetness quality, and a taste that gets even closer to sugar,” notes Ohmes. 

Cargill, an innovator and global provider of sweetness options, launched its ViaTech line of stevia sweeteners in 2014. ViaTech uses a proprietary taste-prediction model to predict optimal combinations of steviol glycosides to deliver a great taste. 

“Every day we help food and beverage companies, all sizes and all locations, create great tasting products that enable them to satisfy evolving consumer demand,” added Frank Maus, European manager of specialty sweetness segment for Cargill. 

Cargill supplies a variety of sweetness options, each offering special qualities to food and beverage manufacturers and consumers. 

by Elizabeth Kenward