Rebaudioside M Environmental Fate & Ecotoxicity

Genus species Family: Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni - Asteraceae. Common names: Stevia; Sweet Leaf of Paraguay(1)

Stevioside ... is a naturally occurring sweetener (approximately 200X) extracted from a South American plant, Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The dried leaves, the water extract of leaves, and the refined chemical ingredients, eg, and Rebaudioside A ... are collectively referred to as stevia. Discovered in Paraguay and Brazil, the plant was identified in the early 1970s as a plant of high economical value and transported to Japan for cultivation ... Today Stevia plant is cultivated primarily in China

In 2004, JECFA (Joint Expert Committee of Food Additives) issued a preliminary ADI (Allowed Daily Intake) of 2-mg/kg body weight (based on steviol) for stevia extract. This action may impact favorably on worldwide regulatory approval. As consumer's demand on naturally sweetened products increases, interest in Stevia, and naturally occurring potent sweeteners in general, is expected to grow