The flavor 'sweet' is an inherent human weakness. For centuries, all that was available to our ancestors as sweets were sweet fruit and honey. Then came sugar beet, sugar cane and synthetic sweeteners.
For many years, the over consumption of sugar and lack of exercise have caused many well known illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes. There is a very controversial debate about the possible risks of synthetic sweeteners such as aaspartame and saccharin, which are being added to ready meals and soft drinks.
Therefore it is understandable that consumers are looking for a sweetener that tastes acceptable while having no negative side effects to their health. Hence the interest in an alternative solution which has been used for hundreds of years to sweeten food and drink in South America and for decades in Asia: stevia and its leaf extract.
The dried leaves of stevia are about 40 times sweeter than sugar. The high sweetening power of steviol glycoside is remarkable. It is about 300 times that of sugar, at optimal dosage. Therefore one must check the taste when preparing food in the kitchen. The industry using steviol glycoside in ready meals measures the required amounts extremely carefully according to the optimal dosage.
The flavor characteristics of steviol glycoside are dependent on the purity and concentration of Rebaudioside A.
Unlike sugar, steviol glycoside cannot preserve foods (e.g. jam). Browning during baking and caramelising does not happen. Of course steviol glycosides can not be metabolised through yeast.
Some bakery products such as sponge cannot be made since it lacks the mass of the sugar. In such cases, additives like pre-biotic ballast help.
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Products to be Sweetened |
Ratio of sugar Substitution |
Dosage |
Benefits |
|
|
Beverage |
Carbonated drinks |
20-100% |
0.06-0.75g/kg |
Lower calorie; Prevent cavities; Make clear and cool taste |
|
Fruit juices |
30-50% |
0.078-0.278g/kg |
Enhance flavor; Form no sediment or floc; Make clear color; Extend shelf life; Lower calorie. |
|
|
Milk drinks |
20-50% |
0.006-0.70g/kg |
Produce good taste sweetness; Lower calorie |
|
|
Solid drinks |
20-100% |
1.7-20.0g/kg |
Make cool taste; Prevent cavities; Easy to calculate |
|
|
Iced drinks |
Ice-cream |
60-100% |
0.4-1g/kg |
Lower calorie; Enhance flavor; Make fresh taste; Improve sweetness in low temperature |
|
Confectionary & candy |
Chewing gum |
50-100% |
0.4-1g/kg |
Prevent cavities; Make cool and long-lasting sweet taste |
|
Common Candy |
50-100% |
As per requirement |
Make good taste; Enhance flavor |
|
|
No sugar candy |
100% |
As per requirement |
Prevent cavities; Make good taste; Enhance flavor |
|
|
Bread & cake |
80-100% |
0.2-1g/kg |
Make loose and moist feeling; Make good taste; Prevent cavities; Extend shelf life |
|
|
Jams & Marmalades |
80-100% |
2-12g/kg |
Extend shelf life; Enhance flavor; Lower cost |
|
|
Canned food |
20-50% |
As per requirement |
Produce clear, cool and pure taste; Reduce sweet tiredness; Extend shelf life |
|
|
Flavoring & pickles |
20-30% |
0.1-0.6g/kg |
Make fattening-bag rate zero; Make no brown stain, no coloration or no fermentation; Shorten pickling time; Improve sweetness and keep no shrinkage; Extend flavor-lasting period |
|
|
Fried food |
50-100% |
1-3g/kg |
Make no coloration; Enhance flavor improve sweetness; Easy to handle; |
|
|
Aquatic products |
30-50% |
As per requirement |
Make no brown stain, scorch or loose phenomenon owing to sugar |
|
|
Alcoholic drink |
Liquor |
10-100% |
0.01-0.05g/kg |
Enhance flavor; Clear out spicy taste; Increase mellow quality |
|
Wine |
10-100% |
0.01-0.15g/kg |
Increase transparency; Enhance flavor; Reduce viscosity; Make a fresh taste |
|
|
Champagne |
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Fruit wine |
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|
Beer |
10-40% |
As per requirement |
Enhance flavor; Enrich and whiten foam |
|
|
Dental hygiene |
Tooth paste |
1-5g/kg or as per requirement |
Prevent cavities; Make a cool taste; Reduce the reproduction of dental bacteria; Cover up the bad flavor of other composition |
|
|
Tobacco |
As per requirement |
Keep proper moisture; Enhance sweetness and aroma |
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Pharmaceuticals |
As per requirement |
Improve taste, Improve the health care function |
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