Stevia Gets Final OK in EU

The European Union (EU) Commission made its final approval of regulation that authorizes the use of steviol glycosides—the compounds responsible for the sweet taste of the leaves of the stevia plant—in foods and beverages in the EU. The regulation permitting the sale and use of steviol glycosides has now been published in the Official Journal of the European Union as of Nov. 12, 2011. The regulation will enter into force 20 days after this publication date, and at that time, it will be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in EU member states. This allows for the sale of products formulated with steviol glycosides as early as Dec. 2, 2011.