Stevia gets FDA-approval, looks to dominate sweetener market in 2009

December 29, 5:23 PMLow-Carb Lifestyle ExaminerJimmy Moore

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The FDA relents staunch opposition to stevia

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) wields plenty of power about what we can and cannot eat by issuing declarations towards food products that determine whether they are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). Some of the most popular sugar substitutes on the market today, including Splenda, Nutrasweet, Sweet ‘N Low, and others have long held this coveted distinction of being “safe” for consumption (although many questions still remain about some of those FDA-approved GRAS sweeteners). But one all-natural, plant-based sweetener has been ignored and relegated to the supplement aisle at health food stores for many years–stevia.

Stevia has been the unwanted stepchild of the sweeteners because it is the only one that is not chemically-based. With more and more people looking to remove chemicals from their diet and focus on natural foods, stevia makes sense. But the stubbornness of the FDA (no doubt influenced heavily by the artificial sweetener companies that don’t want the competition) has presented that from happening–UNTIL NOW!

You’ll recall in May 2007 I blogged about food giant Cargill Foods along with The Coca-Cola Company putting stevia on the fast track for FDA-approval by petitioning them to give consideration to a brand new sweetener. I was privileged to be one of the first people to try this stevia-based sugar alternative in New York City during the summer at a special introductory party for Truvia. I was VERY impressed with the taste of Truvia at the time noting that it was a nice blend of the powerful sweetening ability of stevia complemented by another all-natural, zero-calorie sugar replacement called erythritol.

Truvia hit supermarket shelves in October 2008 alongside the other popular sweeteners. It should come as no surprise that many other companies are getting on the stevia bandwagon and creating their own versions as well, including PureVia and Nuva, for example. And with the FDA putting their stamp of acceptance on these and other stevia products, I can see this becoming one of the biggest food trends especially in the diet industry in 2009.

Cargill received a letter from the FDA earlier this month stating that the agency has no objection to the conclusion of an independent expert panel which reviewed research that rebiana, the main part of the stevia plant used Truvia, is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as a general purpose sweetener. The FDA letter affirms and supports rebiana’s safety and the data used to make that determination. A Cargill spokesman was thrilled with this decision after five long years of development and petitioning to the FDA.

“The FDA brought the appropriate rigor to the process and we are extremely pleased with the news,” the Cargill representative said in a release.

Additionally, the makers of Purvia at the Chicago, IL-based Merisant Company also received a letter from the FDA giving them permission to sell their product to consumers. Merisant CEO Paul Block believes this acceptance of stevia will radically revolutionize the sweetener industry.

“This is a huge day for us, and we have the champagne out,” he said. “This is an enormous innovation for us and a quantum leap for the industry. This is a big part of our future.”

The new stevia-based products coming to stores in 2009

You probably have already seen Truvia on store shelves and I’m sure grocers and chain stores like Wal-Mart are already clearing shelf space for all the new stevia products to come. Purevia is set to be in stores nationwide by the end of March 2009. Purevia will be introduced as a sweetener in the products Sobe Lifewater and Trop 50, Tropicana’s new light orange juice product. Meanwhile, Truvia has been added to a brand new version of Sprite called Sprite Green available this month as well as new flavors of the Odwalla juice drink.

What do you think about this FDA-approval of stevia for the first time ever? Are you concerned about this move or do you think it will open up more opportunities to have natural sugar alternatives sold more widespread? Tell us what you think about in the comments section below.