Steviol Glycosides

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a scientific opinion confirming that steviol glycosides, sweeteners extracted from the stevia plant, are safe for use in foods and beverages. EFSA also established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for their safe consumption. In the published opinion, EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Foods (ANS) concluded that, considering the available toxicity data, "steviol glycosides complying with JECFA specifications are not carcinogenic, genotoxic or associated with any reproductive/development toxicity." The ANS Panel also established an ADI for steviol glycosides, expressed as steviol equivalents, of 4 mg/kg bw/day, the same ADI as previously established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The opinion is based on a rigorous safety assessment by EFSA's ANS expert panel of the scientific dossiers submitted by several applicants including Cargill. The scientific opinion applies to steviol glycosides including stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C, dulcoside A, rubusoside, steviolbioside, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside D and rebaudioside F.