Cargill works with UK manufacturers on stevia-sweetened products

Cargill Health & Nutrition is working with a number of UK food manufacturers so that products containing its natural Stevia-based high-intensity sweetener Truvia can be launched soon after it receives approval for use in the EU. Approval is expected late 2011.


Truvia is derived from a refined form of the Stevia leaf containing 97% of the steviol glycoside rebaudioside A, which provides the intense sweetness some 200 times that of sugar.

The product is already widely used elsewhere in the world, particularly in the US, and is on the market in France under transitional arrangements.

Earlier this year, the European Food Safety Authority gave a positive opinion for steviol glycosides, paving the way for their full EU approval by the European Commission.

Zanna McFerson, assistant vice president and business director for Truvia, said Cargill was working with 150 projects globally and "a number of those are specific to the UK".

"We work not only on the formulation, but also closely with our customers on their intended launch plans."