Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has given regulatory approval for steviol glycosides to be used as a food and beverage ingredient in both Australia and New Zealand.
PureCircle is the world’s exclusive supplier of high purity Reb-A under the PureVia brand — the leading all natural zero calorie sweetener seen as a viable complement to sugar. This approval represents the regulatory consent for high purity Reb-A to be used as a mainstream food and beverage ingredient.
High purity Reb-A is derived from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant.
The consent comes shortly after PureCircle announced it had agreed with PepsiCo and the Whole Earth Sweetener Company to supply high purity Reb-A for use in beverages and tabletop sweeteners under the PureVia brand.
PureVia is the world’s first all-natural zero calorie sweetener. Steviol glycosides are an extract of the leaves of the plant Stevia Rebaudiana, and are at least 200 times sweeter than sugar.
PureCircle chief executive, Magomet Malsagov, said that “this is great news and reinforces our belief that we will soon see similar approvals in the United States, the world’s largest market, and in Europe, where Switzerland has already taken the lead in giving the go-ahead for PureVia to be used in mainstream F&B production.
“Consumers are demanding a natural and healthy solution to the global obesity epidemic and other health issues resulting from high sugar usage. As an all-natural and calorie-free product, PureVia is seen as providing that solution.”
In August 2008, PureCircle announced it had signed substantial, long-term contracts with PepsiCo and Whole Earth Sweetener Company for the supply of high purity Reb-A for use in beverages and tabletop sweeteners under the PureVia brand.