Coke, Cargill Partner on Stevia Project

ATLANTA & WAYZATA, Minn.Coca-Cola and Cargill are partnering on a new project to develop a natural calorie-free sweetener from stevia, which could eventually be used in several food and beverage categories in the United States. Stevia (S. rebaudiana), a South American herb with a natural, sweet taste, is not currently approved in the United States or Europe for food use. However, in the United States, it is sold as a dietary supplement, often in bulk or single serve packets similar to those seen for sugar and artificial sweeteners. In mid-2006, the market research firm SPINS reported in INSIDER that stevia sales topped $14.4 million in the natural channel for the 52 weeks ending July 15, 2006, up 32 percent over the prior year.

Under terms of the new partnership, Cargill is handling product development and the regulatory approval process for the ingredient, including working on clinical trials to support a food additive petition. According to Ann Tucker, a Cargill spokeswoman, the company has a comprehensive research program underway, although she couldnt comment on possible timelines for product development or regulatory approvals. The issue with stevia has always been a lack of control from the field to the table, she said. This project is about making the best-tasting, quality product with control of all aspects. Were producing rebiana to Cargills quality standards. Its about consistency in the supply chain.

Since 1992, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has submitted at least two petitions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) challenging stevias status as a food additive. Even though the petitions contained extensive data and research that proved the safe historical use of stevia as a food, FDA was reportedly not satisfied with the research submitted because the studies were conducted outside the United States and published in foreign journals.

Coca-Cola filed 24 U.S. patent applications on May 24, 2007, covering the use of stevia in combination with a range of natural compounds (i.e., vitamins, minerals, glucosamine), in different delivery formats (i.e., condiments, beverages) and for several health conditions (i.e., weight management, inflammation). According to Wanda Rodwell, a Coca-Cola spokeswoman, the company has been working on the project for some time; however, there is no specific timeline for introducing stevia-sweetened products. She added the company would likely look to launch new products within the next year into one of the markets where stevia is already approved for beverage use. Stevia is currently approved in 12 countries for food use, including Brazil, China and Japan; it accounts for approximately 40 percent of the sweetener market in Japan and has been used for more than 30 years.