Stevia applications in desserts

With heightened health concerns around traditional sweeteners and increased rates of Type II diabetes in western economies, many food manufacturers have offered alternatives using high-intensity artificial sweeteners. However, these artificial sweeteners themselves have not been without controversy.

The recent approval of Steviol Glycosides by Australian and New Zealand Health Authorities for use as a sweetener opens up many opportunities to the food industry. Initial sensory testing indicates that Steviol Glycosides high in Rebaudioside A (one of seven identified glycosides) offer manufacturers the ability to formulate new products with reduced calorific content and a natural sweetener claim without compromising taste.

As a sweetener, the various Steviol glycosides generally have a sweetness intensity ranging from 40 to 400 times that of sucrose and a slower taste onset and longer duration than that of sugar. However, Rebaudioside (Reb A) has a taste profile closest to sugar and is around 250-300 times the sweetness of sucrose without a lingering aftertaste.

Steviol glycosides are extracted from a plant genus native to South and Central America, but are now widely cultivated in Asia. The Guarani people of north-eastern Paraguay have used the plant as a tea and for medicinal purposes for centuries. Stevia products have been widely used in Northeast Asia for almost 30 years. Estimates from Japan indicate over 40% of all Japanese manufactured products using high-intensity sweeteners employ Stevia derivatives as their primary sweetener.

In addition to providing a good taste profile, purified Stevia extracts have high acid and heat stablility, and can help reduce saltiness and balance sourness. While the ingredient has the same theoretical calorific content as sucrose, it is used at sufficiently low doses that its overall calorific contribution is minimal. It is water soluble and can be easily dissolved as a 1% solution allowing for easy addition to food systems.

Hawkins Watts has been appointed the Australia and New Zealand agents for Daepyung Co Ltd, Korea. Daepyung has been active in the Stevia market for over 15 years. Daepyung offers a range of natural sweeteners including Reb A 97% purity, which is suitable for beverage and dairy applications and in hot and cold dessert products.