Stevia is approved to be used in food by FSSAI scientific panel for food additives

Stevia is approved to be used in food by FSSAI scientific panel for food additives

India Stevia Association will like to announce and congratulate all its members and every one concern with Stevia in India on approval marked by scientific panel for food additives at the apex Food Safety and Standards Authority considering the long awaiting applications for approval of stevia in India filed by companies like Stevia Biotech Pvt. Ltd, Coca Cola and Cargill.

FSSAI approve Stevia Biotech Pvt. Ltd, Coca Cola and Cargill application for use of stevia in soft drink concentrates, chewing gums, carbonated water and other applied products.

Stevia Biotech Pvt. Ltd. received letter from FSSAI the regulatory body which makes rules for food safety with the approval and recommendation made by scientific panel, which has recommended certain guideline, allowing stevia, a natural sweetener for use in selected products with ADI limits.

The FSSAI scientific panel for example has recommended up to 200 milligrams per kg of steviol equivalent, which is an active component in stevia, in carbonated water and soft drink concentrates. In chewing gums up to 3,500 milligrams per kg of steviol equivalent.

“India Stevia Associatoion” welcome the recommendation made by the Scientific Panel and is thankful for considering the facts and out comes of last Codex Meeting and world wide researches and recommendations by world known health regulatory organizations like JACFA, WHO, US FDA, European Food Safety Authority .

This will definitely prove to be boon to Indian population which is suffering from diabetes and obesity and desperately need more and more Natural Low Calorie products and live a healthier life. 

Though certain recommendations by FSSAI's scientific panel for food additives does not explicitly state whether stevia can be used in combination.

Stevia this year has been approved by CODEX Alimentarius, an international body created by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization in its meeting in July, in Geneva, for usage across different product forms.

All sincere efforts made by India Stevia Association, its members and industry at large finely get paid, very honestly considered by FSSAI scientific panel and hence this outcome.

India Stevia Association has always brought Stevia more closer to farmers, food and beverages companies, health conscious people and diabetic population by organizing its 2nd Stevia Global Summit 2011 India at Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in March this year in which the emphasize were given for use of stevia in food and beverages products and to bring more awareness and knowledge development.

India Stevia Association would also like to thank all who attended this conference which prove to be a milestone by way of this approval which was addressed by very learned speakers

Dr. AS BAWA, Defense Research and Development Organization, Ministry of Defense (also head of scientific panel of food additive, constituted by FSSAI),

Mr. Bala Prasad, Chief Executive Officer, National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India,

Mr. Sourabh Agarwal. CMD, Stevia Biotech Pvt. Ltd & CEO India Stevia Asso.

Dr. Prof. Dr. Jan Geuns, president of EUSTAS, and head of Laboratory of Functional Biology, Leuven University, Belgium,

Prof. Dr. S.S Agarwal Professor of Pharmacology & Principal, Delhi Institute of pharmaceutical Science and Research, “DIPSAR’,

Mr. G N Quazi, from Hamdard University,

Mr. Matthew Nelson of Mintel International, USA,

Mr. Sanjay Naphade of Pepsico India Holdings,

Dr. V. Dhawan, ED The Energy and Resources Institute,

Delegates from different states of India and other delegates which come from various countries around the world and by a collective effort these results are obtained.

Mr. Sourabh Agarwal, Chief of India Stevia Association covey his sincere thanks and gratitude to all concern and consider this development will revolutionize Indian, sweetener, food and health industry and bring tremendous opportunities for Indian farmers to cultivate more and more stevia in India.

India Stevia Association has schedule to organize a conference in early December, 2011 in New Delhi in which all new regulatory aspects will be discussed and further course of action to promote and spread stevia cultivation and usage in food product will be discussed, participation is welcomed.  www.steviaglobalforum.com 

India Stevia Association invites farmers, manufacturers, food processors and food ingredient development companies to become member and get benefited  to run a knowledge base enterprise. Associate Membership is free of Charge.  www.indiasteviaassociation.in

India Stevia Association mission is to provide a distinctive platform for trade promotion, marketing, and sourcing of stevia products and to promote commercial farming of stevia all over the world and to develop India a Global Stevia Hub and create a platform for R&D, innovation, new product development (NPD), marketing, food safety and Quality assurance and also to join hands together to discuss, innovate, knowledge share and shape the future of Stevia Industry in India into the new decade.