Stevia / Stevioside FDA Import Alert IA#45-06 Text and Comme

[seetharam annadana]

Stevia / Stevioside FDA Import Alert IA#45-06 Text and Commentary
The US FDA issued an import warning IA#45-06, REVISED 2/2/96, ATTACHMENT REVISED 12/19/95

REASON FOR ALERT "Stevia leaves are a native product in Brazil and Paraguay. The extract, Stevioside, has reportedly been approved for use in foods in Brazil and Japan. The product is used in these countries as a table-top sweetener in virtually all food commodities and as a flavor enhancer in such products as teas. Stevioside is reportedly 250-300 times sweeter than sugar and contributes no calories to the diet.

With regard to its use in foods, stevia is not an approved food additive nor affirmed as GRAS in the United States. Available toxicological information on Stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety as a food additive or to affirm its status as GRAS. However, with regard to its use in dietary supplements, dietary ingredients, including Stevia, are not subject to food additive regulations.

Stevia leaves and Stevioside have been offered for entry both in bulk and in finished products. Examples of products detained because of Stevia include teas, drinks, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and candies. FDA analysis performed by Dallas district found diet teas to consist of up to six percent of Stevioside."

So what the US FDA is saying is while countries all over the world (including Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Brazil, Paraguay, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and others ) except the USA have accepted and currently use stevia and stevioside as the solution of how one sweetens food without adding calories and/or questionably safe artificial sweeteners, it can only be sold in the USA as a dietary supplement or dietary ingredient with no mention of sweetening properties on it's labeling. Allegedly because there is not enough data to satisfy the FDA.

In the USA we sell and labels our Stevia Extract Stevioside as a Dietary Supplement or Dietary ingredient to fully comply with the FDA requirements