Author: Stan Samples

November 16, 2011 — The Calorie Control Council welcomes this week’s decision by the European Commission to authorize the use of steviol glycosides, more commonly known as stevia, as a sweetener in foods and beverages.

After months of examining the safety of natural sweeteners derived from the stevia plant, approval was publicly announced by the Commission on Monday, November 14. Stevia has now been cleared for use in the EU’s 27 member states.

Stevia is still relatively new to the mainstream food and beverage market but has been used in South America for hundreds of years. It is derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which has long been used to sweeten beverages and make tea. While the word “stevia” refers to the entire plant, only some of the components of the stevia leaf are sweet. These sweet components are called steviol glycosides.

In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed the safety of steviol glycosides from stevia and established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for their safe use. This opinion has been confirmed this week with final EU regulatory approval of sweeteners made from stevia.

“Stevia’s approval for use in the EU is an exciting development,” said Haley Stevens, Ph.D., President of the Calorie Control Council, a non-profit international trade association of manufacturers of low-calorie and reduced-fat foods and beverages.  “Stevia provides the food and beverage industry with a wider repertoire for delivering zero-calorie sweetness and offering additional variety and choice for consumers that enjoy products they perceive as natural.”

Stevia sweeteners are ingredients in many products throughout Asia and South America, such as in ice cream, bread and soft drinks,. In the US, stevia sweeteners are primarily found in tabletop products and reduced calorie beverages as sugar substitutes. Heightened consumer interest in reducing caloriesand increased demand for a greater variety of low calorie products has provided an impetus to incorporate stevia sweeteners into foods and beverages.

Stevia sweeteners are approved for use in more than 60 other countries including the US, Canada, France, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Russia, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Columbia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Switzerland and Malaysia.

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The Calorie Control Council, established in 1966, is an international non-profit association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry. Today it represents 40 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than a dozen different dietary sweeteners, fat replacers and other low-calorie ingredients.

August 3, 2011 — The Standing Committee of the European Commission (Directorate-General Health and Consumers Protection) voted to approve stevia extracts (steviol glycosides) for use in the European Union (EU) at its meeting held in July.  Steviol glycosides are the sweet components isolated and purified from stevia leaves. Stevia currently is approved as a dietary supplement in the European Union, but not for use as a sweetener.

In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on additives established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for the low-calorie sweetener stevia, clearing the way for broader approvals of the popular ingredient as a sweetener in the European Union.  The Panel recommended an ADI of 4 mg/kg body weight/day for stevia as part of the opinion, requested by the European Commission.

Stevia is relatively new to the mainstream food and beverage market but has been used in South America for hundreds of years.  It is derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which has long been used to sweeten beverages and make tea.  While the word “stevia” refers to the entire plant, only some of the components of the stevia leaf are sweet.  These sweet components are called steviol glycosides.

The next step in the regulatory process for stevia extracts is scrutiny of the proposed regulations by the European Parliament.

In the U.S., steviol glycosides are used as general purpose sweeteners in foods and beverages as well as in tabletop sweeteners.  For EFSA’s full report please visit: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/doc/1537.pdf

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The Calorie Control Council, established in 1966, is an international non-profit association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry. Today it represents 40 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than a dozen different dietary sweeteners, fat replacers and other low-calorie ingredients.

July 22, 2010 — A new study published in the August 2010 journal, Appetite, further demonstrates that people who consume low-calorie sweeteners are able to significantly reduce their caloric intake and do not overeat.  In fact, study participants who received the sugar substitutes instead of sugar consumed significantly fewer calories and there was no difference in hunger levels despite having fewer calories overall.

The researchers noted, “In conclusion, participants did not compensate by eating more at either their lunch or dinner meal and reported similar levels of satiety when they consumed lower calorie preloads [pre-meals] containing stevia or aspartame than when they consumed higher calorie preloads containing sucrose.”

This study was conducted in both healthy and overweight adults and participants were given a pre-meal containing either sucrose, aspartame or stevia.  Those who received the stevia or aspartame consumed fewer calories overall, did not overeat and did not report increased feelings of hunger.

“Although the totality of the scientific evidence demonstrates that low-calorie sweeteners and the products that contain them are not related to weight gain, increased hunger or overeating, there have been recent reports questioning the benefits of low-calorie sweeteners,” notes Beth Hubrich, a dietitian with the Calorie Control Council, an international trade association.  “When used as part of an overall healthy diet, low-calorie sweeteners and light products can be beneficial tools in helping people control caloric intake and weight.”

“This human study, in addition to the many others, serves as a counter to the recent allegations about low-calorie sweetener benefits from epidemiological studies (which cannot show cause and effect) and studies performed in a small number of rats,” adds Hubrich.

This study also builds upon a recent 2009 meta-analysis (evaluating 224 studies) published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition and conducted by Mattes and Popkin.  These researchers concluded, “A critical review of the literature, addressing the mechanisms by which non-nutritive [low-calorie] sweeteners may promote energy intake, reveals that none are substantiated by the available evidence.”

For further information about low-calorie sweeteners (sugar substitutes) and low-calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages, visit: www.caloriecontrol.org.

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Anton, S et al. Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite: 55 (2010) 37-43.  [Abstract]

The Calorie Control Council, established in 1966, is an international non-profit association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry. Today it represents 40 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than a dozen different dietary sweeteners, fat replacers and other low-calorie ingredients.