E960A - Steviol glycosides from Stevia

At a glance

Here are the basics.

• What it is: A mixture of sweet compounds (steviol glycosides) extracted and purified from stevia leaves.
• What it does: Sweetens foods and beverages at very low use levels, helping cut added sugar.
• Where you find it: Zero‑ or reduced‑sugar soft drinks, flavored waters, yogurts, desserts, and tabletop “stevia” sweeteners.
• Regulatory snapshot: Authorized in the EU as E960A; in the U.S., certain high‑purity steviol glycosides are “GRAS” (Generally Recognized as Safe).
• Intake guidance: An Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 4 mg per kg body weight per day, expressed as steviol equivalents, is established by European authorities.

Why is Steviol glycosides from Stevia added to food?

Food makers use E960A to deliver sweetness without the calories of sugar, allowing reduced‑sugar recipes that still taste sweet and appealing.¹

What foods contain Steviol glycosides from Stevia?

You’ll commonly see it in no‑ or low‑sugar soft drinks, flavored waters, sports and energy beverages, tabletop sweeteners, dairy products like yogurts, desserts, confectionery, and some baked goods. In the EU, steviol glycosides are authorized across many food categories with specific conditions of use in the additives list.²

What can replace Steviol glycosides from Stevia?

Depending on the recipe, technologists often consider:

• Other high‑intensity sweeteners: sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, neotame, advantame, or thaumatin.
• Sugar alcohols (polyols) for bulk and some sweetness: erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, or maltitol.
• Blends: E960A is often blended with other sweeteners to fine‑tune taste and mouthfeel.

How is Steviol glycosides from Stevia made?

E960A is produced from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. The process typically involves water or aqueous alcohol extraction of the leaf, followed by purification steps such as filtration, ion‑exchange, adsorption on resins, and crystallization to obtain a product with at least 95% total steviol glycosides (on a dry basis). The main components include stevioside and rebaudiosides (like Reb A), among others.³

Is Steviol glycosides from Stevia safe to eat?

Yes—when used as intended. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set an ADI of 4 mg/kg body weight/day, expressed as steviol equivalents, based on toxicology and human data.⁴ In the United States, certain high‑purity steviol glycosides extracted from stevia leaves are considered GRAS and may be used in many foods.¹ After consumption, steviol glycosides are broken down by gut bacteria to steviol, absorbed, converted to steviol‑glucuronide in the liver, and excreted—supporting their safety at permitted levels.⁴

Does Steviol glycosides from Stevia have any benefits?

Using E960A lets manufacturers cut added sugars and calories because only tiny amounts are needed to sweeten foods.¹ Low‑ and no‑calorie sweeteners can help people reduce added sugar and overall calorie intake when used in place of sugar in a balanced diet.⁵

Who should avoid Steviol glycosides from Stevia?

Most people don’t need to avoid E960A specifically, but consider these points:

• Stay within the ADI. Because the ADI scales with body weight, smaller children can reach it with fewer servings than adults.
• If you dislike stevia’s characteristic aftertaste, choose products that blend E960A with other sweeteners or use alternatives listed above.
• If your healthcare provider has set specific dietary goals (for example, during pregnancy or for certain medical conditions), follow that advice.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “It’s just ground stevia leaf.” Fact: E960A is a purified extract of steviol glycosides from stevia leaves, not the whole herb; it is defined in EU law with specific specifications and use conditions.²
• Myth: “All ‘stevia’ additives are the same.” Fact: E960A refers to steviol glycosides from stevia leaf extraction; related entries include steviol glycosides as a group and glucosylated steviol glycosides, which are produced by adding glucose units via enzymes—these categories are treated separately in EU legislation.²
• Myth: “It’s natural, so there’s no limit.” Fact: Regulators set an ADI (4 mg/kg bw/day as steviol equivalents) to ensure safe lifetime intake, just as they do for many additives.⁶

Steviol glycosides from Stevia in branded foods

You’ll find E960A in many zero‑sugar or reduced‑sugar products, such as:

• Diet and “zero” soft drinks and flavored waters
• Fruit drinks and ready‑to‑drink teas
• Yogurts, dairy desserts, and puddings
• Sugar‑free confectionery and chewing gum
• Tabletop sweetener packets, drops, and baking blends

Labeling may show “steviol glycosides,” “from stevia,” or the E‑number “E960a,” depending on the market and product type.

References

Footnotes

1. Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the United States — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/additional-information-about-high-intensity-sweeteners-permitted-use-food-united-states ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1156 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 as regards steviol glycosides — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1156/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩

4. Scientific Opinion on the safety of steviol glycosides for the proposed uses as a food additive — EFSA Journal (2010). https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1537 ↩ ↩²

5. Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners and Maintaining a Healthy Weight — U.S. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/low-calorie-sweeteners.html ↩

6. Steviol glycosides: JECFA safety evaluation and ADI — WHO JECFA Database. https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/chemical.aspx?chemID=1448 ↩