SSW08:Coca-Cola, Cargill Talk Stevia

Representatives from The Coca-Cola Company and Cargill, Inc., discussed their collaboration in the creation of Truvia™ during “Stevia as a Sweetener and its Implications for Future Product Development.” George Pugh, Ph.D., manager, food toxicology for The Coca-Cola Company stated the company’s goal when embarking on this project: “We’re interested in developing a natural food ingredient with strong scientific safety support to meet consumer demand for a non-caloric, natural sweetener.”

Truvia is made from rebiana, “the best tasting part of the stevia leaf,” said Leslie Curry, director, regulatory and scientific affairs, Cargill Food Ingredients. The objective of the company’s safety program, she stated, is to “demonstrate the safety of rebiana for consumption by all consumers, in all foods, for all eating occasions in all countries.”