Stevia - not available in Europe?

fidget369 | 18:19 Mon 28th Feb 2005 | Food & Drink

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I have been reading about the benefits of Stevia as a food supplement and alternative to synthetic sweeteners. However, the book I have been reading advised that "stevia is no longer for sale in Europe" - I can find it fairly easily to buy on line from the US but I am interested to know why it is not available in Europe - does anyone know if there was a question over its safety or if it has just not been widely tested enough to be passed? I have tried searching online but everything I turn up is either too technical to understand or is trying to sell me the stuff! Any info greatly appreciated.

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Sequin

It is toxic and so is banned in the EEC - see

http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/webpage/stevia

To quote it:

The data considered by the Committee indicated that the extract has the potential to produce adverse effects in the male reproductive system that could affect fertility and that a metabolite produced by the human gut microflora, steviol, is genotoxic (ie. damages DNA).

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