The characteristics and functions of stevioside

Stevioside is a new modern natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a perennial herb of Compositae. The sweetness is 200-350 times that of sucrose, and the heat is only 1 / 300 of that of sucrose. The taste is positive, similar to that of sucrose, sweet and safe. It is widely used in candy, beverage, food, medicine and other industries in many countries and regions, and is known as "natural sweetener", "third sugar source", etc. Stevioside was developed as a new natural sweetener in the outline of food industry development from 1981 to 2000 approved by the State Council. According to the "GB2760-1996 hygienic standard for the use of food additives" issued by the Ministry of health in December 1996, all kinds of candy, food and beverage should be used appropriately according to the needs of normal production. In 2000, April 2001, the Ministry of Health issued the Circular No.

Since stevioside was sold in the market in the mid-1980s, it has been widely used in thousands of products, such as all kinds of food, candy, beverage, dairy products, preserves, pickled products, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industrial products. Its sales market is expanding day by day, and its sales volume is increasing day by day. Since 1996, the total annual sales volume has been more than one thousand tons, about 80% of which are exported to Japan, South Korea, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States and more than 20 countries or regions. China has already become a stevioside producing and exporting country.

Main characteristics and functions of stevioside

1. It has high safety. According to pharmacological experiments, stevioside is a non carcinogenic substance and safe to eat. The origin of Stevia rebaudiana is Paraguay, Brazil and other places in South America.

2. Low calorific value, which can be used in low calorie food, beverage and medicine. Long term consumption of stevioside will not make people fat, and it has the functions of reducing blood sugar, preventing caries, strengthening stomach and relieving fatigue. It also has auxiliary effects on bodybuilding and weight loss, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arteriosclerosis and other patients. It is a natural sweetener for making health food, health drink, health cosmetics and medical products.

3. With high sweetness, stevioside can reduce the cost by more than 60%, and reduce the transportation volume, transportation cost and warehouse equipment. Meanwhile, it can be stored for a long time without deterioration.

4. Stevioside is easily soluble in water and alcohol, and can be mixed with sucrose, fructose, maltose, isomerized sugar, etc., which not only has good taste, but also can improve the sweetness.

5. Stevioside is a kind of non fermentative substance, stable in nature, processability, non discoloration in processing, stable in heat and acid-base (ph3-10), no change in sweetness, no change in food, beverage, medicine and other production processes.

6. Stevioside does not affect the coagulability and viscosity of food, and it has non colorability, and does not cause browning like sucrose.