Origin
E 960 is obtained through extraction from the leaves of the Stevia plant. The end product is a white to yellowish very fine powder that poorly dissolves in water. Often, E 960 is offered in liquid form in trade because the powder is difficult to dose. At too high dosage, E 960 can quickly acquire a bitter note. The sweetness of stevioside varies greatly and can range from 70 to 450 times that of normal household sugar. These differences are explained by processing; additionally, E 960 is not heat-stable, meaning under heat influence, E 960 loses its sweetness.
Usage
Since the substance E 960 has only recently been approved in the EU, the spectrum of foods containing stevioside is still extremely small. So far, E 960 is mainly added to dairy products such as yogurts. Otherwise, stevioside is available for trade as an extract in powder or liquid form, and thus food can be sweetened individually instead of using household sugar.
Risks
E 960 is considered completely harmless.