Bayn Europe and Barentz have launched a stevia project aimed at developing the use of stevia dietary fibre blends as a substitute for chemical sweeteners in the Baltic region. The project is supported by the Swedish Government due to its positive effects on the environment and public health in a prioritised region. 

 

Blends with stevia and insoluble dietary fibres will be used in three high sugar demonstration products – jam, ketchup and chocolate powder – instead of the chemical sweeteners normally used to make calorie-reduced products. The dietary fibres are derived from a natural source in the form of recycled residue from manufacturers of apple juice and oat-based products.

 

The companies said that theproject will demonstrate an example of the positive effects stevia and dietary fibre have on public health issues regarding diabetes and obesity, with up to 90 % reduction of calorie levels and remarkable improvement of digestion.

 

Using natural recycled dietary fibers also has a positive effect on production costs, which can be an issue in stevia applications. Fibres add both bulk and texture and the costs of adding other bulking agents are reduced.

 

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth supports the stevia project, in line with the Swedish Government’s focus on environmental and public health improvement in the Baltic region.

 

The project will run until December 2014 in three phases. Phase 1 includes research, production and distribution of the three demonstration products in the target region. Phase 2 will focus on collecting feedback from the end consumer. During phase 3 the project results will be processed and the products further developed and distributed wider in the region.