Problems with the Novel Food Label

As it is written, even tomatoes or potatoes could be termed a Novel Food in the European Union, necessitating costly studies on every product containing either vegetable. The EU did not take into consideration the fact that Stevia has been in use there for more than 10 years before declaring it a “Novel Food”.

Another problem regarding the legal situation concerning Stevia is the fact that the opinion of the EU that Stevia is plagued with a variety of health concerns does not ring true with many scientists and experts. Many accusers believe this opinion was the direct result of lobbying. You can see a copy of the EU statement by going to http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scf/out34_en.pdf.

On the other hand, a unit of the World Health Organization (WHO), the JEFCA, has allocated an ADI-VALUE, or an average daily intake recommendation for the use of Stevia. For many people, this is a confirmation of the fact that Stevia is safe for human consumption.

There are numerous big names in the food industry which have plans to get into the Stevia market, as soon as it receives official approval. It is already being highly recommended by doctors and health care practitioners, who approve of it. A concern that remains valid is the fact that there is no quality control system in place for Stevia products which are sold in the European marketplace. Since the approved use of Stevia is for things like bath products and decorative items, there is no group which oversees quality for such items. This means that products that are not food grade may be on the market and no one is removing them.

steviana's Concerns

We, at steviana, are greatly concerned with this issue. For our own products, we are dedicated to only selling food, which is of food grade quality. To ensure this we send our products to a well-respected German food analysis lab for independent testing.

Stevia is already a success the world over. The United States has finally just given approval to Reb-A for use in food. Stevia was approved as a food in Australia a few months ago. Its popularity as a supplement has continued to grow unchecked over the years. In the Japanese marketplace it is the predominant sugar substitute. For over 30 years it has been legal there and has been marketed on the basis of its health benefits. It has more that 25% of the sweetener market in Japan. Stevia is also being grown, marketed and used in a variety of other countries around the world.

Some of the countries in which Stevia is approved for use include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Columbia, Japan, China, Taiwan and Russia. In the United States and Canada it is approved only as a dietary supplement. In several countries such as Pakistan, Cambodia and Venezuela, its status is non-specified. In the Philippines, Hong Kong and Mexico, it is not approved.