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Adaptation of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) and Spearmint (Mentha spicata) to local climate and crop management


Project Type: Nacional / Público
Financial Program: PRODER – Medida 4.1.
IPB Funding Value: 65238.52 €
Principal Investigator: Manuel Ângelo Rosa Rodrigues
Start: 2012-07-01
End: 2015-04-06
More info: http://www.proder.pt/Handlers/Coopera%c3%a7%c3%a3o%20para%20a%20Inova%c3%a7%c3%a3obc17.pdf?id=3772&menuid=2169
Description: Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) has been used as a natural sweetener since it contains an active ingredient called stevioside, with a sweetness power considered 40 to 300 times higher than that of sucrose. The use of steviosides as food additives are only permitted in the European Union (EU) since November 2011. The permission by the EU to use Stevia as a food additive will certainly increase the market potential to this species. However, to produce Stevia in Portugal it is necessary to test its adaptability to the local growing conditions and also the quality of the plant material to be used as a natural sweetener.