EFSA has issued a positive opinion on the safety of steviol glycosides used as food additives following petitions lodged by the European Stevia Association (Eustas), Cargill and Japanese firm Morita, which are all seeking regulatory approval to sweeten products with stevia in Europe.

EFSA’s opinion is in line with that of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the US Food and Drug Administration, approving stevia extracts with at least 95% purity of steviol glyco...