With the European Commission amending its current steviol glycocide specifications on 3 November, 2016, European food and beverage companies will be able to rely on the broader portfolio of Cargill’s ViaTech stevia sweeteners.

Under the existing legislation, high intensity sweeteners made from steviol glycosides need to consist of at least 75 percent stevioside and/or rebaudioside A (Reb A), limiting the ViaTech sweetener options available to food and beverage manufacturers in Europe.

The updated European Commission legislation removes the 75% restriction and allows any combination of the 11 approved steviol glycosides as alternatives to Reb A as the predominant components.

“Cargill has deep knowledge of the steviol glycosides and the development capabilities needed to find the best-tasting solutions for customers,” said Andy Ohmes, global product line manager for Cargill. “The updated legislation opens doors for European food and food beverage companies who want to reduce calories without compromising a great taste.”

Cargill, an innovator and global provider of sweeteners, launched its ViaTech line of stevia sweeteners in 2014. ViaTech uses a proprietary taste-prediction model to predict optimal combinations of steviol glycosides to deliver a great taste.

“Every day we help food and beverage companies, all sizes and all locations, create great tasting products that enable them to satisfy evolving consumer demand,” added Frank Maus, European manager of specialty sweetness segment for Cargill.