The
Steviosides and Rebaudosides are the principal active components that
make up the Stevita Crystal. They are diterprenic glycosides extracted
from a plant known as Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. The sweetening properties
were already known and used by the Guarani native people indigenous to
Paraguay to sweeten bitter drinks such as mate and medicinal drinks.
It has been utilized for many decades as a food sweetener in various countries
such as Japan, Korea and China amongst others.
Since 1987 it has been utilized in Brazil as a flavoring and sweetening agent in various types of food and since 1995 in the USA as a dietary ingredient supplement.
Botany
The Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni is a perennial bush of the Composite family,
native to the region of Amambay in the Northeast of Paraguay and Southeast
of Brazil.
Steviafarma S.A. foments and promotes the growing of it in various areas of Brazil and Paraguay.
There are thousands of Stevio growers, all assisted by the Steviofarma technical team which has associated itself with Telnet S.A. of Paraguay in order to increment and sustain the source of the product.
Chemical and Physical Properties
The Stevioside under the brand Crystal Stevita is produced by Steviafarma Ind. S.A.
It possesses diverse glycosides in its composition, all originating from the Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni leaf, and obtains a larger quantity of Stevioside and Rebaudioside A (1).
Liquid Chromate of high resolution is utilised to determine the substance of Stevioside and Rebaudiosides A in food (2).
The methods can be obtained in specialised literature or through Steviafarma Ind. S.A.
The pureness of Crystal Stevita is verified through analysis undertaken in the quality control laboratory of Steviafarma Ind. S.A. and backed by laboratories considered of national reference.
Chemical Structure and Physical Properties
| Product | P.M. | R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
Sweetness |
| Esteviolbioside (C 32H50O12) |
626,7 | Gluc | H | H | 10-15 |
| Estevioside (C 38H60O18) |
804,9 | Gluc | H | Gluc | 100-270 |
Rebaudioside
A (C44H70O23) |
967,0 | Gluc | Gluc | Gluc | 150-320 |
Rebaudioside
B (C38H60O18) |
804,9 | Gluc | Gluc | H | 10 - 15 |
Rebaudioside
C (C44H80O22) |
951,0 | Rham | Gluc | Gluc | 40 - 60 |
Rebaudioside
D (C50H80O22) |
1129,1 | Gluc | Gluc | Gluc2
- 1Gluc |
200 -250 |
Rebaudioside
E (C44H70O23) |
967,0 | Gluc | H | Gluc2
- 1Gluc |
150 - 200 |
Sweetner
A (C38H60O18) |
804,9 | Rham | H | Gluc | 40-60 |
 |
|||||
| Optimal specific rotation | [a] 025 at 38,6 º |
| Point of Fusion | Between 192 and 197º C |
| Light absorption | l max (UV) 210 hm |
| Humidity | 3% Maximum |
Health and safety
Consumption of Stevioside in Japan is over 85 tons per year, and there is no documentation regarding adverse reactions that can be found in medical or scientific literature. There has also been no appearance of clinical data as a result of consuming Stevia Rebaudiana products in the countries where it has been authorised. One may therefore conclude, based on these observations, that the Stevia Rebaudiana products present no health risks.
Due to the great interest for it being an original natural non-calorie sweetener, there are more than 500 scientific articles published on Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni and its sweetening glycosides. Principally on the toxicology aspects such as acute toxicology (3), sub-acute (4 ) and chronic (5), cancerous (6), genetically mutant (7), teratology (8), metabolism (9), cardiovascular effects (10), allergies (9) amongst others, where they all approve of the safety that the extract of Stevia and its sweetening glycosides present for human consumption.
The use of Stevia Crystal has been authorised for its consumption since 1995 by the FDA in the USA as a dietary supplement.
Stevita Crystal Stability
• Thermal Stability
Stevita Crystal is technically stable and may be utilised in frying and cooking products, and they can be exposed to high temperatures over extended periods of time without loosing their properties. They may also be utilised in products that demand Ultra High Temperature processes or High temperature Short Time.
• Stabiliser in pH variations
Stevita Crystal is highly stable in pH variations. A solution of Stevita Crystal maintained at 100º C during one hour showed no significant loss of sweetness.
| PH |
Stevioside |
| 3 |
98 |
| 5 |
99 |
| 7 |
100 |
| 8 |
100 |
| 9 |
99 |
Solubility
Due to its composition the Stevita Crystal presents solubility above 30% in water at room temperature (1)
Additional properties of Stevita Crystal
Stevita Crystal is not metabolised by the organism, therefore it does not produce calories. Persons wishing to keep in shape as well as of diabetics can consume it. By not presenting calories and high sweetening powers, its usage diminishes considerably the quantity of calories needed for sweetening foods and drinks.
• Stevita Crystal enhances flavour
Because of its flavouring properties the Stevita Crystal enhances the flavours in food. Due to this factor it permits foods prepared with this property to use less quantities of aromas and savouries than those of equivalent products sweetened with sugar.
• Stevita Crystal does not produce caries
Stevita Crystal does not become metabolised through mouth micro-organisms which therefore prevent the formation of caries.
• Stevita Crystal possesses anti-caries properties
A team led by Doctor Carl J. Kleber of the Dental Science Research - School of Health Science - Indiana University - Purdue University - USA (11) demonstrated this property.
The same effect was proved in a study conducted in the Dental Faculty of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In this manner the Stevioside is shown as a potential anti-caries which allied with its high sweetening and flavouring powers can participate in product compositions adequately formulated in those product lines that are used to combat dental caries.
• Crystal Stevita is a functional foodstuff
Recent studies have shown that the steviosides also possess antioxidant properties, transforming them into functional foodstuffs.
Applications
-
Low calorie dietary foods
Small quantities of Stevita Crystal are sufficient to sweeten foods due
to their high degree of sweetness.
-
Drinks
Stevita in crystal form may be used to sweeten drinks, mainly fruit juices,
energy drinks and carbonated drinks, due to its stability in liquid media
and its low pH value.
-
Candy and chewing gum
Stevita Crystal is not hygroscopic and possesses anti-caries properties,
making it an ideal sweetener for the manufacturing of candy and chewing
gum
-
Iced deserts
Stevita Crystal enhances the flavour of fruits and due to the absence
of sugar allows storing at higher temperatures, thus reducing the cost
of energy for keeping them cold.
-
Sauces and pickles
Stevita Crystal can be used for flavouring sauces and pickles for it integrates
harmoniously with salts and amino acids, as with Soya sauce.
Bibliographical references
1. GOTO, A., (1997). Masters Degree, State University of Maringá,
Chemistry Department, 83pp
2. HASHIMOTO, Y. & MORIYASU, M. (1978). Determination of Sweet Components
in Stevia Rebaudiana by High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph. Ultraviolet
Detection. Shoyakugaku Zasshi, 32 (2): 209-211.
3. ASAKI, H., YOKOYAMA Y. (1975), Dried-leaf extracts of Stevia. Toxicological
tests. Shokuhin Kogyo, 18(20), 34-43.
4. LEE. S. J.; LEE, K. R.; PARK, J. R.; KIM, K. S.; TCHAI, B. S. (1979)
A Study on the safety of stevioside as a new sweetening source. Korean
Journal of Food Science and Technology 11, 224-231.
5. YAMADA, A.; OHGAKI, S.; NODA, T. E; SHIMIZU, M. (1985) Chronic toxicity
study of dietary Stevia extracts in F344 rats. Journal of the Food Science
and Hygiene Society of Japan 26, 169-183.
6. OKUMURA, M., FUJITA, Y., IMAMURA, M., AIKAWA, K., (1978) Studies on
the safety of stevioside with rec-assay and reversion test. Shokuhin Eiseigaku
Zasshi 19, 486-490.
7. PROCINSKA, E.; BRIDGES, B. A.; HANSON, J. R. (1991) Interpretation
of results with the 8-azaguanine resistance system