Steviosides are a general term for naturally occurring sweeteners found in stevia, including compounds such as steviol and rebaudioside A. Stevioside generally refers to extracted and purified sweetener products, which may be composed of a single or mixed steviol glycoside. While the two are essentially related, their applications and purity levels differ.
I. Definition and Source
1. Steviosides are naturally occurring sweeteners found in the leaves of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana). Over 40 types have been discovered, including steviol, rebaudioside A, and rebaudioside C. The sweetness and aftertaste of these glycosides vary significantly. For example, rebaudioside A is approximately 200-300 times sweeter than sucrose and has a milder bitterness.
2. Stevia Sweetener refers to a sweetener product made through industrial extraction and purification of steviol glycosides. Depending on the production process, it may retain a mixture of multiple glycosides (e.g., total steviol glycoside content ≥ 95%) or be specifically purified to a single component (e.g., high-purity Reb A).
II. Differences in Ingredients and Characteristics
1. Naturalness and Purity: Steviol glycosides are natural compounds isolated directly from plants and have not undergone complex processing. Stevia is mostly artificially extracted and may contain anti-caking agents (e.g., maltodextrin) to improve solubility, but this does not affect safety.
2. Sweetness Performance: Mixed stevia (containing multiple glycosides) may have a slight bitter or licorice aftertaste. High-purity rebaudioside A (e.g., Reb A ≥ 97%) has a sweetness closer to sucrose, making it suitable for applications with demanding taste, such as beverages and baking.
III. Application and Regulatory Classification
1. Food Additive Standards: The Codex Alimentarius International (CODEX) and national regulations generally define steviol glycosides as food additives. For example, my country's National Food Safety Standards stipulate that the purity of steviol glycosides must be ≥ 95%, and the proportion of rebaudioside A in the total glycosides can be adjusted.
2. Product Labeling Differences: Raw material products (such as dried stevia leaves) cannot be directly labeled as "stevioside." Commercial sweeteners must clearly label the specific ingredients (e.g., "stevioside" or "rebaudioside A") to avoid confusion.
