PureCircle claims it has developed the first commercially viable stevia antioxidant product which can provide food and beverage companies new access to health and wellness ingredients for their consumers.

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the leading producer of high-purity stevia ingredients, says it is the first company to be able to extract antioxidants from the stevia leaf for use in food and beverage products.

While researchers have known that antioxidants are present in stevia plants, PureCircle says it has created a unique process for extracting and purifying this plant- based antioxidant ingredient at a global scale.

The company’s antioxidant product has a clean taste profile with a hint of sweetness, and it is currently sampling the new product with customers with full rollout expected after anticipated US regulatory approval in 2018.

Experts believe antioxidants help inhibit and slow down the damage caused by free radicals in the body. Consumers’ desire for these health benefits has driven an increase in product launches with antioxidant claims by +18 percent over the past five years.

This new stevia antioxidant will extend PureCircle’s portfolio beyond its innovative flavor modifiers and great-tasting sweeteners. This product enables PureCircle to broaden its offerings, providing customers with a spectrum of plant-based stevia ingredients.

Commenting on the announcement, Faith Son, Vice President of Marketing & Innovation, said: “Stevia as an antioxidant will further support beverage and food companies in providing their customers with health benefits and great-tasting products containing compounds commonly found in ‘superfoods’ such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.”

“Although it has been known that stevia plants contain antioxidants, the ability to extract is a major commercial advance.”

The company collaborates with farmers who grow the stevia plants and with food and beverage companies which seek to improve their low and no-calorie formulations using a sweetener from PureCircle.

It leads in research, development and innovation and produces a growing supply of multiple varieties of stevia sweeteners using all necessary and appropriate methods of production.