FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

EU revises sweetener regulation

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has amended its regulations regarding the use of steviol glycosides as a sweetening agent, permitting their use in so-called energy-reduced candies and mints.

Steviol glycosides are a non-caloric sweetening agent that can be used to reduce the caloric content of various types of food products. They are often used in combination with sugar, resulting in lower calorie foods that taste better than those sweetened with steviol glycosides alone.

Published on February 28th in the Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2017/335 amends Part E of Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1333/2008, which specifies those food additives approved for use in food and their conditions of use. The amended Annex now permits the use of steviol glycosides in hard candies such as lollipops, and soft candies and confectionaries like fruit gums, marshmallows, liquorice, nougat and marzipan. Steviol glycosides may now also be used to sweeten breath mints (referred to a “breath-freshening micro-sweets” in the Regulation).

The complete text of the EU Commission’s amendment to its regulation on the use of steviol glycosides is available here.