Tate & Lyle releases key new stevia confectionery sweetener series, responding to global demand
Tate & Lyle at the most recent Gulfood Manufacturing. Pic: Neill Barston
A fresh advanced premium stevia solution from Tate & Lyle PLC global ingredients group, which the company revealed will have strong application ranges across categories including within confectionery, reports Neill Barston.
Significantly, as the business observed, its latest development comes in the wake of a sizeable spike in calls for healthier-option ranges, with reduced sugar categories cited as having notably strong consumer demand – which the firm’s research shows is a product category expected to expand 13% in value by 2026.
The new patented Tasteva Sol stevia sweetener (below) expands the company’s portfolio in the segment, and has been developed as a means of tackling technical application issues within food and beverages.
As the company, which has exhibited at a number of key events within the past year including Gulfood Manufacturing (pictured) explained to Confectionery Production, the new series claims over 200x the solubility of Reb M and D products on the market, with its use , dairy fruit preparations and sweet syrups at high sugar replacement levels. It is reported to offer strong levels of solubility, readily dissolving in concentrates, and remaining soluble at low pH.
Furthermore, as the company noted, as consumers continue to switch from full sugar to reduced sugar food and beverages, the perception and awareness of the benefits of stevia are increasing. In 2022, 32% of US consumers were likely or very likely to buy a product which contains stevia leaf extract (up from 29% in 2020), with the new range labelled as Steva extract in the US, and follows labelling guidance for JECFA approved countries.
Papao Saisnith, Senior Director, Global Marketing & Innovation, Sugar & Calorie Reduction, Tate & Lyle commented “Consumers continue to shift from full sugar to reduced sugar foods and beverages and do not want to sacrifice taste. The range meets consumer needs as it provides a solution for manufacturers looking to formulate great tasting, clean label sugar reduced products where solubility often becomes a challenge. Used alone or in combination with Reb M stevia sweeteners, Tasteva Sol is over 200x more soluble than other stevia sweeteners and delivers solubility and sweetness, which fills a gap among existing sweeteners and strengthens our overall portfolio.”
“This addition furthers our commitment to transform lives through the science of food and helps our customers to meet consumer expectations for making healthy food tastier and tasty food healthier.”