Interesting Article5 Feb 2009 07:25
04 February 2009
Long shunned by regulators and ignored by food and beverage processors in the US, the natural non-calorie sweetener known as Rebaudioside A, an extract derived from the green leaves of the stevia plant, is coming to the rescue of the soda pop industry.
The current widespread financial crisis has states searching for a way to generate new revenues (New York wants an 18% tax that would put an estimated $400 million in its coffers), and using the guise that they are interested in taming the burgeoning diabesity epidemic, states aim to tax sweetened soft drinks, allegedly to reduce consumption.
Facing such a threat, major soft drink manufacturers have quickly ushered in stevia leaf and its extracts for approval by the Food and Drug Administration, and manufacturers have obtained self-affirmed GRAS status (generally regarded as safe) from a panel of independent experts, which gives assurance that it is safe to use in the general population.
On those lists of what things are 'in' and what things are 'out' in the coming year, place aspartame, sucralose and saccharin on the 'out' list, and stevia on the 'in' list. It’s about time.
http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/blue/press7.html