According to Reuters, natural sweeteners derived from the stevia plant could be authorized for EU-wide use by the end of the year, after governments approved their sale in certain foodstuffs.
July 6, 2011
According to Reuters, natural sweeteners derived from the stevia plant could be authorized for EU-wide use by the end of the year, after governments approved their sale in certain foodstuffs. Concern over rising levels of obesity and diabetes has spurred the development of new sweeteners, and food consultancy Zenith International expects the global market for stevia-derived products to reach $825 million by 2014.
“The text will now be subject to the scrutiny of the European Parliament. At the end of the procedure, steviol glucoside could be authorized in the EU by the end of the year,” the European Commission said in a statement.
The Commission proposed a cut in the maximum usage levels for steviol glycosides requested by manufacturers after a safety evaluation found that they could exceed the “acceptable daily intake” level of 4 mg per kg of body weight.
Reuters article