HealthCo (Bloomingdale, IL), a division of NOW Health Group, has garnered self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for its Stevia FSE. Stevia FSE will now be sold as a food ingredient in bulk powder, private-label consumer sizes, and food-service bulk packets.
The company says that unlike most stevia ingredients with a bitter aftertaste, Stevia FSE is enzymatically treated to remove any bitter notes, making it well suited to food applications. It says that Stevia FSE utilizes the entire Stevia rebaudiana leaf, instead of being an isolated fraction. The ingredient is also kosher- and organic-certified.