PureCircle, the world’s leading producer and innovator of great tasting, zero-calorie stevia sweeteners presented the latest in stevia research, and updates on local stevia initiatives underway in India at the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) 2018 being held from October 23 to October 27 at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.
PureCircle hosteda joint scientific session with Coca-Cola India on 26th October that included presentations by PureCircle’s Group Vice President of Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Dr. Siddhartha Purkayastha and the Company’s Head of the South East Asia Region, Navneet Singh. The presentations covered stevia’s sustainability and recent agricultural development in India, advances in stevia science, technology and safety and recent stevia innovations for the formulation of great tasting reduced/zero sugar foods and beverages.
Commenting on Stevia’s sustainability and PureCircle’s vision for India, PureCircle Head of the South East Asia Region Navneet Singh stated “Stevia is a sustainable crop, which is in high demand by the global food and beverage industry. PureCircle is test-farming several locations in India with its Starleaf stevia variety that contains more of the best-tasting stevia sweeteners than other stevia plant variants. India has the land, climatic condition, farming expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to contribute significantly to global demand of naturally-sourced, non-GMO stevia sweeteners.”
In line with the Indian Prime Minister’s vision to double farmer’s income , PureCircle is exploring new farming partnerships in multiple locations across India. Establishing a local Indian stevia agronomy program exemplifies the Company’s commitment to traceability, and helping food and beverage companies launch new low to zero sugar added products with plant-based from farm to finished product.
PureCircle has announced plans to increase plantings of its Starleaf stevia variety to supply significantly more Reb M to global beverage and food companies. PureCircle sells a broad line of great-tasting, plant-based, zero-calorie stevia sweeteners and other stevia ingredients. PureCircle is playing a key supply role for beverage and food companies as they seek to offer their consumers more low and zero-calorie products.
As the result of ongoing innovation, research and development work with stevia, to date PureCircle has been granted more than 100 stevia-related patents. These patents – plus more than 250 patents pending and other strong intellectual property – are directed to a wide range of stevia-related products and processes.
IuFoST will feature the latest advances in food safety, food security, regulations, innovations in food processing, food science and technology and consumer preferences among other topics by food scientists and technologists from academia, government and industry.