German study finds stevia plant molecules stays unchanged throughout processing

Researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany have found that the molecules of sweet stevia plant remain unchanged through processing.

Supporting stevia's naturality, the study found all nine of the steviol glycoside molecules required by the specifications set by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) were present and unchanged in the dried stevia leaf, through the commercial extraction and purification process, as well as during the final stevia leaf extract.

JECFA is a committee jointly administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO),

University of Bonn scientist Ursula Wölwer-Rieck said: "Finding the same nine steviol glycoside molecules unchanged in the stevia leaf, the water extract and in the final product confirms that the commercial extraction and purification process of high-purity stevia leaf extract does not alter the sweet steviol glycoside molecules in the leaf.

"Showing that it is unchanged is important in this whole naturality debate because there are people who still call into question the naturality of high-purity stevia leaf extract." 

Wölwer-Rieck conducted research that focused on three different batches of stevia leaf that underwent commercial production to the final product, the 95% purity stevia leaf extract.

The study samples provided by PureCircle included the dried stevia leaf, the first water extract, and the final product from each of the three corresponding leaf samples.

The research found that the stevia leaf extract end products were of 95% purity, which is required by JECFA.

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Image: German researchers found stevia plant molecules remains unchanged throughout processing. Photo: courtesy of The Global Stevia Institute.