USP stevia reference standards available
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
U.S. Pharmacopeia publishes reference standards for stevia-based ingredients rebaudioside A and stevioside, against which food manufacturers can compare their own stevia supply. The standards "provide a powerful tool to help ensure the authenticity of the ingredients," an executive for the nonprofit standard-setting organization said in a June 1 release. USP said it expects to publish its written testing standard for high-purity rebaudioside A in the Food Chemicals Codex August 31. The monograph for the sweetener, used in Cargill's Truvia and Merisant's PureVia, was made available for comment in January (1"The Tan Sheet" Jan. 12, 2009, In Brief)