Stevioside, a member of the steviol glycosides family, plays a significant role in providing the sweet taste of the stevia plant. With a sweetness level far surpassing that of cane sugar, stevia has emerged as a viable sugar substitute. In fact, it has been approved as a food additive (E 960) in the European Union since 2011. However, the stevia plant itself has not yet received food approval.
This application note introduces a method utilizing the Sepiatec SFC instrument from BUCHI for separating stevioside from a stevia extract. The process involves the use of food-compatible solvents, such as carbon dioxide, ethanol, and water as an additive, ensuring the safety and suitability of the separation technique for food applications.