OU kosher-certified Ingredion and Cargill, through extraction and precise fermentation, are capturing the core components of stevia and producing it in large quantities.
Ingredion and Cargill are taking the natural sweetener stevia to new levels. Through advanced technologies, OU kosher-certified Ingredion is extracting key components from the stevia plant while maintaining its viability. OU kosher-certified Cargill is using precise fermentation to increase stevia production. Unlike artificial sweeteners, stevia, with an inherent sweet taste and no calories, comes from plants. Another popular natural sweetener is monk fruit, that’s plant-based as well. The food industry now has alternative choices when it comes to sweetening products.
Sweetener Categories
Of course, sugar is the classic sweetener. It’s an important carbohydrate that provides fuel to the body. It’s recommended not to exceed ten percent of calorie intake that comes by way of naturally occurring sugars. These include fruits, vegetables and dairy products. If there is an excess of sugar consumed beyond this point, such as with table sugar, blood levels can be affected.
Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin and sucralose, are created in the lab and used as sugar substitutes. They have similar tastes to sugar.
Sugar alcohols represent another synthetically created sweetener. One distinct characteristic is that they give texture to foods. One example is xylitol, used to sweeten gum.
The last category is natural sweeteners. Prominent among them are stevia and monk fruit that are both plant-based. They are the closest in taste to sugar and have natural properties. In the natural sweetener realm, some top manufacturers are honing in on stevia’s capabilities as a natural but flavorful alternative. They are dedicating time and technology to mine the sweet molecular structures from the stevia plant. Because the molecular structures are so small, extraction or precise fermentation is used to multiply it.
Ingredion’s Innovation
Ingredion’s subsidiary, PureCircle, has one purpose: to extract in the safest and most efficient way stevia molecules to create a natural sweetener. This offshoot uses state-of-the-art technology to extract the molecules, manufacture the product and offer it to companies worldwide. By using a specific solvent, they are able to extract the parts of the plant needed. In talking to FoodNavigator, Adam Berzins, senior manager of global sugar reduction products applications, said, “…PureCircle has a decades-long legacy of innovation in the stevia space. And really, what we have to do is through our deep technical understanding of everything from the leaf agronomy through the production to the practical application in a finished good, understand how to develop these new tools that solve both taste and production challenges.”
Cargill’s Precision
Fermentation has the capacity to use microorganisms to control molecular growth. Because the stevia molecules are so small and they don’t produce a lot of product, Cargill is using fermentation to increase the production of stevia while still keeping its inherent sweetness and natural makeup.
Regarding this, Carla Saunders, senior marketing manager for high-intensity sweeteners at Cargill, said to the digital outfit, Dairy Processing, that “Reb M and Reb D [molecules in the stevia plant] exist in the leaf in such low levels — less than 1% — that it’s simply not economically or commercially viable to produce a sweetener made from these sweet-tasting molecules using a traditional agronomic approach. As a result, we moved from the field to fermentation, using a specially crafted yeast to produce the same Reb M and Reb D molecules found in minute quantities in the stevia leaf. Using fermentation, we can produce EverSweet in quantities and at a price-point that makes wide-spread commercial use possible. This in turn opens the door for greater innovation related to sugar reduction across a myriad of food and beverage categories.”
From a Health Perspective
In discussing natural sugar substitutes, one of them being stevia, Johns Hopkins Medicine notes, “Novel sweeteners are not a significant source of calories or sugar, so they don’t lead to weight gain or blood sugar spikes. They are also typically less processed and are more similar to their natural sources compared to artificial sweeteners.” It’s these kinds of benefits that can be realized with natural sweeteners.
Registered dietitian Natalie Crtalic, RD, LD from the Cleveland Clinic, said, “Stevia is my favorite calorie-free sweetener,” and added, “It’s a good alternative for people who don’t want to use sugars or other chemical sweeteners…”
Conclusion
Large manufacturers are making significant strides in both producing and enhancing stevia, a natural sweetener, in substantial quantities. Monk fruit is gaining in popularity as well. This benefits companies and consumers alike as the natural health benefits are being passed along. There is now a natural path to sweet-tasting foods with reduced amounts of sugar.