Steviol Glycosides are extracted from stevia and are used in the food industry as a no calorie sugar substitute (sweetener). In the EU, Regulation (EU) No. 231/2012 stipulates that the additive is manufactured via an approved, two-phase process and under precious Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 should be labelled as ‘Steviol Glycosides’, or by its additive number ‘E960’.
In 2018, an application for a novel way to manufacture steviol glycosides enzymatically was submitted to the EC for approval. This triggered a need to update food labelling regulations relating to the existing authorised food additive and implement new regulations to reflect the new version of the food additive. This differentiation is aimed at supporting consumer understanding of the ingredient origin.
The enforcement date for this was August 2nd, 2021, however, the legislation states that foods containing E960 which are labelled or placed on the market up to 18 months after the entry into force, may be marketed until stocks are exhausted. For businesses who currently use steviol glycosides in their formulation and label their products either with the E number (E960) or ‘Steviol Glycosides’, they will need to update their product information to ‘Steviol glycosides from Stevia’ or ‘E960a’. For those who wish to innovate using enzymatically produced steviol glycosides, food labelling should state ‘Enzymatically produced steviol glycosides’ or’ ‘E960c’ as per the annex of Regulation (EC) No. 1156/2021, which amends annex II of Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008.
Ashbury’s food regulatory consultants advise that from a commercial perspective, whether you choose to use the E-number or full statement will depend on several elements. What is your product, your brand policy, how much space do you have to play with on the label and who is your target consumer? Many consumers are now familiar with the term ‘Stevia’ which is a commercial name but not the correct legal name for the ingredient; ‘steviol glycosides’ is less recognised. The new statement which includes “enzymatically produced” is quite detailed which could intimidate some consumers. E numbers on the other hand come with their own bias but are useful for saving space in crowded ingredients lists or labels.
For tailored advice on how to comply with this change or any other food labelling regulations, please do get in touch with our food regulatory consultants.
Related Links –
When Should Compliance Be Added to Your New Product Development Process?
Food Information Regulations GB: A Brief Look at Allergen Labelling Requirements
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