Vitiva has launched its stevia line of products, following recent European Commission (EC) approval for use in food and beverage applications in Europe.

The Sweet’nVit brand will include products using extracts from stevia rebaudiana bertoni plant leaves a sweetener and sugar substitute. It will be standardised with a minimum of 95% steviol glycosides.

The products are of all-natural origin with zero calories, zero carbohydrates and inducing no glycaemic response.

Ohad Cohen, CEO of Vitiva, said: "The Sweet’nVit line has an exceptional taste profile and can be used as a solo sweetener; in combination with bulk natural sweeteners such as erythritol or maltitol; or in combination with sucrose to offer optimal taste and mouthfeel. The continued increase in the price of sucrose and the opportunity to develop a healthier product with little change in taste profile makes our Sweet’nVit range most attractive.

"In a blind tasting, 80% of the test panel preferred our high purity Reb A 98% product over the main competitors in the market."