Is Stevia Extract Natural? How Is Stevioside Made?

Sometimes we get questions about whether stevia leaf extract is natural or not. Recently, a new study concluded that the steviol glycosides extracted from the stevia plant were not altered during the extraction and purification process, resulting in a high-purity stevia extract. It supports stevia extract as a natural ingredient.

These findings are significant because the natural authenticity of stevia sweeteners has been questioned because of the purification process they undergo, said the University of Bonn, Germany. The fact that the nine steviol glycosides in the provided samples were unchanged from the original plant-derived sweetener provides support for the natural authenticity of stevia sweeteners.

Steviol glycosides from the stevia plant

The path from leaf to sweetener is divided into six steps.

Step 1: Collection

Dried leaves are collected from collection points deposited by our small farmers.

Step 2: Soaking

The leaves are immersed in warm water to extract the sweetness of the leaves - steviol glycosides.

Step 3: Filtering

Through a series of filters, we remove the fiber, salt and green color. In the final step, we chose a column with charged particles that would attract steviol glycosides, the sweetness molecules in the stevia leaves. Since other solutes had already passed through the last column, we poured food-grade ethanol on the steviol glycosides so that they were released and mixed with ethanol. This process raises the concentration of steviol glycosides.

Step 4: Concentration

Most of the ethanol is recaptured so that it can be reused later. This occurs in the concentration step, where the temperature is raised at low pressure in order to evaporate the ethanol quickly and efficiently.

Step 5: Drying and Crystallization

The concentrated mixture of steviol glycosides and ethanol is dried in a large tower. This method, called spray drying, works by spraying the liquid into the tower while warm, clean air is blown into the tower. The liquid then dries rapidly and the crystalline steviol glycosides drop down to the bottom of the spray dryer where they are collected. The movie ends here.

Step 6: Recrystallization

To produce different flavors of stevia extract, recrystallization is then used to vary the concentration of different steviol glycosides in the extract. The mixture is cooled down, at which point the highest concentration of steviol glycosides will begin to crystallize. By doing this, the separation of the different steviol glycosides can be obtained.

The final product consists of pure crystals of steviol glycosides and can be used as a sweetener in the food and beverage industry. To ensure consistent safety and production, ZANCHENG has implemented a strict control system with quality checks at every stage from the leaves to the finished product. Stevia extracts are identical outside the leaf to the compounds found in the leaf.

The high quality of the leaves we grow and the extraction process directly contributes to the delicious taste of stevia extract. If you need to buy, please send us a message to get a professional solution.