DESCRIPTION

Rebaudioside A is a white to off-white, hygroscopic fine crystal, granule, or powder having a sweet taste. It is freely soluble in ethanol:water 50/50 (v/v), sparingly soluble in water, and sparingly soluble in ethanol. It is obtained from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) plant in a multi-step separation and purification process. Principal steps include extraction of steviol glycosides from the leaves using an aqueous or aqueous alcoholic (ethanol or methanol) solvent and purification of rebaudioside A from the resulting mixture of steviol glycosides by resin absorption followed by recrystallization from an aqueous or aqueous alcoholic (ethanol or methanol) solvent. It is composed predominantly of rebaudioside A, a glycoside of the ent-kaurenoid diterpenoid aglycone known as steviol.