The new sweetener system brings together the company’s stevia sweetener with a natural flavor, which features flavor modification, improved solubility and stability in formulations, and faster dissolution.
“With EverSweet + ClearFlo, we’re taking stevia sweeteners to the next level, reimagining the possibilities and paving the way for a new round of product innovation,” said Andrew Ohmes, Cargill’s global director for high intensity sweeteners.
“It really is a game-changer for sugar-reduction technology, making it possible for stevia to go where it has never gone before.”
Using EverSweet’s quick sweetness onset and high sweetness potency as a foundation, EverSweet + ClearFlo creates what Cargill said is an “even more sugar-like experience”, especially at higher concentrations. The new system also helps manage off flavors from other ingredients used in formulation, be it earthy notes from proteins, bitterness from caffeine or metallic tastes from potassium chloride.
Cargill said while Reb M stevia products like EverSweet provide the best stevia sweetness profile, they can be limited by a lower solubility maximum. This comes into play for applications using concentrates to deliver sweetness, such as throw syrups in beverages. EverSweet + ClearFlo together boost solubility, enabling more concentrated solutions than Reb M alone. The improved solubility opens the door for stevia to be used in applications like foodservice fountain drinks and flavor syrups.
The new sweetener system also results in improved dissolution properties. Unlike standalone Reb M sweeteners, EverSweet + ClearFlo dissolves in water at ambient temperatures. For beverage processing facilities without heating capabilities, Cargill said this is a significant advance. The company said the sweetener system’s near-instantaneous dissolution also enables faster manufacturing times.
In the US, EverSweet can appear on ingredient statements as stevia sweetener and ClearFlo labels as a natural flavor. Cargill said its proprietary research finds consumers approve of the designations.
“There are a lot of tools out there that might help with solubility or dissolution or flavor or stability,” Ohmes said.
“But EverSweet + ClearFlo address all of those points, which is why this sweetener system stands apart in the market today.”
Cargill first debuted the technology in 2019 and has since refined it for use in reduced-sugar applications that require higher concentrations of stevia, including carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit concentrates, and dairy, coffee and beverage syrups.