Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni PRODUCTION IN MEXICO

Abstract

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana, Bertoni) is a species originally from Paraguay and Brazil, which has been used for centuries as sweetener and as medicinal plant by the Guaraní indigenous people who call it in their native language Ka’a Heê (sweet herb). Although the leaves can be used on their own to sweeten, there are industrial processes used to extract the sweeteners. Currently, the food and pharmaceutical industry has shown great interest in this plant because the sweeteners that it contains do not contribute calories. The intense and marked sweet flavor of stevia is due primarily to chemical compounds called generically steviol glucosides, which are 250 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Relevant aspects about its management are explained, with the purpose of guiding producers in México