Interest in the natural sweetener stevia is growing, both in the industry and among consumers, even though EU approval is still pending - with the exception of France. Already today, WILD is offering stevia sweeteners of the highest quality to the food and beverage industry, which enable manufacturers to develop low-sugar or sugar-free products that can be marketed as soon as the anticipated approval from the European Commission is granted.

Different steviol glycoside compositions
WILD can supply the food and beverage industry with zero-calorie stevia sweeteners and in the highest quality, thanks to WILD Flavors, Inc.'s cooperation and participation in stevia manufacturer Sunwin International. The product range features Sunwin Stevia™ with different steviol glycoside compositions to respond to the individual needs of food and beverage manufacturers. Steviol glycosides naturally occur in the leaves of the stevia plant and are the components that provide sweetness and when coupled with WILD’s natural Taste Modification Technologies, a full-flavor profile with significantly reduced off-notes or bitter aftertaste can be achieved. One of the predominant steviol glycosides in the plant is Rebaudioside A, which is known for its especially good sensory properties. Sunwin Stevia™ features Rebaudioside A in levels of 60, 80, 95 and 98%. All of these meet the steviol glycoside standards set by the JECFA (Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives), as well as other national regulatory authorities.

In the USA, Sunwin and WILD Flavors, Inc. have already received official letters of no objection from the Food and Drug Administration for all Sunwin stevia™ sweeteners. This confirms both the safety and the excellent quality of these natural products.

Products with excellent taste
WILD has succeeded in significantly reducing the undesired aftertaste of stevia and rounding out its flavor profile. This enables manufacturers to produce great-tasting calorie-reduced or no-calorie foods and beverages which appeal to health-conscious consumers. Stevia sweeteners, which are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, are obtained from the leaves of the stevia plant. They have no calories and are also suitable for diabetics.

Stevia as a natural sweetener has been approved in Japan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, while in the US it is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in food and beverages. In the EU, the French government has approved the use of stevia sweeteners only with a purity of at least 97 per cent Rebaudioside A for France. WILD anticipates an official EU-wide approval in 2011. Current estimates indicated that already around 150 million people around the world use stevia every day.