US– Maker of sweet taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world, Sweegen has introduced a new zero-calorie natural stevia molecule to be used in better-for-you beverages.
The new product is an addition to SweeGen’s growing list of Bestevia portfolio which comprises Rebs B, D, E, I and M.
These Rebs are marketed with clean-label, sustainable and natural positionings that respond to consumers’ label scrutiny.
The sweetener Bestevia Rebaudioside N (Reb N) unlike some of its predecessors has a sensory profile that makes it particularly functional in beverage formats, SweeGen said in a statement.
SweeGen further notes that newly launched Reb N has taste profile closer to both full-calorie and high intensity sweeteners, which makes it to also works very well in a variety of food formulations.
In an interview with FoodIngredientsFirst, Ana Arakelian, head of public relations and communications said: “The sweetest, best-tasting and highly sought-after rebaudiosides, like Rebs M, D and E, only exist in tiny quantities in the stevia leaf, thus making purification of them prohibitively expensive.”
Arakelian however noted that the Bestevia stevia rebaudiosides which her company produces are sustainable non-GMO stevia sweeteners.
“They are scalable to present low cost-in-use options for food and beverage manufacturers,” Arakelian noted.
SweeGen’s entire proprietary portfolio of next generation, natural stevia molecules is classified as non-GMO, high-purity and clean tasting sweeteners.
The company’s bioconversion technology makes it easier for Sweegen to isolate the sweet tasting components at a relatively low cost.
SweeGen’s increased innovativeness in developing non-calorific sweeteners is happening at a time when consumer tastes are shifting towards better-for-you products.
These products are preferred due to their lower sugar content which is highly desirable for people suffering from lifestyle diseases or those trying to avoid them.
According to Shari Mahon, chief of global flavor application technology the dairy and beverages continue to see the highest demand for natural sweeteners.
Data from MarketsandMarkets, show that the global natural sweeteners market size was estimated to be valued at US$2.8 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach US$3.8 billion by 2025, recording a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period.
Studying the market trends, Conagen’s VP of innovation, Dr. Casey Lippmeier notes:“With such a wide range of next-generation stevia offerings now available, we will see a new level of innovation in better-for-you products that was previously considered impossible.”
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