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Old 12-18-2008, 07:17 PM   #3
Dakini
Avalon Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 152
Default Re: Coca-Cola to Launch Stevia-Sweetened Drinks in Violation of FDA Regulations?

Coca Cola and Cargill formed a partnership to produce "Truvia" a brand of "Rebiana." Cargill says that Rebiana is a product taken from "crude Stevia." So it seems they are getting around saying that Stevia is the sweetener being used, rather, it is "Rebiana" that is being used - "...rebiana is different from most stevia sold today because it consists of only the best-tasting components of the stevia leaf. It is the first high-purity product of its kind."

"Truvia, a brand jointly owned by the companies, will be sold as a tabletop sweetener starting this year (2008) and used in beverages by Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, Zanna McFerson, business director for Cargill's health and nutrition unit, said Thursday in an interview… "

Cargill is a privately held international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products. Rebiana press from Cargill's news page: Press

What we should be aware of is that Cargill supports bioengineering of crops, so it could be possible that the "natural product, Stevia" would be genetically modified at some point. So anyone drinking Coca Cola softdrinks would be exposed to GMO's. (On Cargill's site, they do say that they will provide non-genetically enhanced products upon request.)

News on the internet also points to the fact that PepsiCo is also jumping on the natural sweetener bandwagon, calling their Stevia product "PureVia."

My understanding is that Coca Cola has exported softdrinks with Stevia to Japan for many years, but due to the FDA's political blockage of Stevia in the U.S., it was not available in the U.S.

Truvia was approved 12/17/08 by the FDA - Read it here.

http://www.allaboutrebiana.com/Rebiana_News.html

Products are also being developed for tabletop sweeteners. Personally, I won't buy any of the products above, but stick to my regular, NON-GMO Stevia sweetener.

Dakini
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