Food Standards (Application A1132 – Broaden Definition of Steviol Glycosides (Intense Sweetener)) Variation

The Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand gives notice of the making of this variation under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The variation commences on the date specified in clause 3 of this variation.

Dated 7 April 2017

Standards Management Officer

Delegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Note:

This variation will be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 110 on 13 April 2017. This means that this date is the gazettal date for the purposes of clause 3 of the variation.

1 Name

This instrument is the Food Standards (Application A1132 – Broaden Definition of Steviol Glycosides (Intense Sweetener)) Variation.

2 Variation to standards in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code

The Schedule varies Standards in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

3 Commencement

The variation commences on the date of gazettal.

Schedule

[1] Standard 1.3.1 is varied by omitting paragraph 1.3.1—4(7)(j), substituting

(j) stevioside—0.40;

(k) any other steviol glycoside—0.33.

[2] Schedule 3 is varied by

[2.1] inserting the following into the table to subsection S3—2(2), in alphabetical order

steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

section S3—35

[2.2] inserting the following after section S3—34

S3—35 Specification for steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

(1) This specification relates to a steviol glycosides preparation obtained from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant.

(2) The preparation must be obtained from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant by the following extraction processes. The leaves are extracted with hot water and the extracts are purified using ion-exchange resins followed by recrystallisation from methanol or aqueous ethanol. The final product may be spray dried.

(3) The preparation may contain different individual steviol glycosides.

(4) The specifications are the following:

(a) Description—white to light yellow powder, approximately 200 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose;

(b) Assay—not less than 95% of steviol glycosides on the dried basis;

(d) pH—between 4.5 and 7.0 (1% solution);

(e) Total ash—not more than 1%;

(f) Loss on drying—not more than 6% (105°C, 2 hour);

(g) Residual solvents: Not more than 200 mg/kg methanol

Not more than 5000 mg/kg ethanol

(h) Arsenic—not more than 1 mg/kg;

(i) Lead—not more than 1 mg/kg;

(j) INS number—960.