How has the safety of stevia sweeteners been established?
Studies of stevia sweeteners clearly support the safety of these ingredients. Further, clinical studies show that stevia sweeteners meeting purity criteria established by JECFA have no effect on either blood pressure or blood glucose response, indicating stevia sweeteners are safe for use by persons with diabetes. In December 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated it has no questions regarding the conclusion of expert panels that rebaudioside A is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for use as a general purpose sweetener. To date, FDA has stated that it has no questions in response to three separate stevia sweetener GRAS notifications.
