STEVIOL GLYCOSIDES

Chemical Properties

Steviol glycosides are a family of related substances occurring in Stevia rebaudiana, a plant originating in South America, but now also cultivated in Asian countries especially. Main components are typically stevioside and rebaudioside A. The ratio of the different components varies, depending on the product. It may be changed by breeding, which aimed especially at an increase in Rebaudioside A, the product with the best sensory properties. Depending on the composition, steviol glycosides are 200–300 times as sweet as sugar but leave a more or less pronounced bitter and licorice aftertaste. They are stable under normal processing conditions of foods and beverages, but only poorly soluble in water.
In the European Union, steviol glycosides are approved as E 960 for a large number of food applications. In the United States, several preparations are GRAS. Steviol glycosides are also approved in many other countries, especially in Asia and South America.
Steviol glycosides are extracted from the leaves of the Stevia plant. The extracts are purified further by flocculation and treatment with ion exchangers before crystallization of the steviol glycosides.

Uses

Steviol Glycosides is the family of chemical substances that provide the sweet taste to the leaves of the plant stevia rebaudiana bertoni. stevioside and reb a are the predominant sweetener components. see stevioside and reb a.