SGF has taken a stringent and rigorous science-based approach to validate its purification process as 100%, conforming to USDA National Organic Program (NOP) regulations.
Dr Mel Jackson, SGF’s VP science, said, “Be aware, utilising standard stevia processing procedures will not comply with the NOP guidelines,” and he encourages food and beverage companies to fully audit their organic suppliers by “looking well beyond the paperwork”.
Jackson highlights that, “Full compliance comes, as most will know, with using certified organic stevia leaf, but not many will know that the production stages where the clarification of crude extracts occurs and the column chromatography need to be overhauled from existing practices. This is because only organic chemical production and cleaning aids are permitted in the extraction process and must be on the USDA’s NOP national list of accepted processing aids. And finally, if ethanol is used, this also must be from a certified organic source.”
SGF has undertaken several years of research to develop processes that overcome these challenges and specifically comply with the USDA NOP regulations. These processes, which do not allow for use of non-organic chemicals, create a ‘fully compliant’ organic product line.
In addition to creating innovative organic processes, SGF has recently harvested its first full-scale commercial Certified Organic Stevia crop. It has taken several years to develop the technology and protocols to conform to USDA NOP organic regulations and produce crops that will economically compete on a global scale.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024