Since the FDA granted no objection letters to stevia-derived Reb-A being generally recognised as safe (GRAS) for use in food and beverage products, the industry has been preparing for an anticipated raft of new products.

But it's not just any Reb-A that can be used. The FDA approval holds for Reb-A with a purity over 95 per cent steviol glycosides only. Blue California claims to have the highest purity on the market, meanwhile, at 99 per cent.

And as the FAO’s JECFA - Joint Executive Committee on Food Additives - also concluded that stevia extracts with 95 percent purity are safe for human use in the range of four milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, the sweetener is expected to be deemed acceptable in more key markets before the year is out.