Summary
In today’s high-stakes world of clean-label formulation, sweetener performance matters more than ever. SteviaSweet™isn’t just stevia — it’s a curated, high-purity system engineered to solve bitterness, optimize usage rates, and dominate across applications. From beverages to gummies to alt-dairy, this is your guide to stacking glycosides like a pro and formulating for flawless sweetness without compromise.
Authored by: Thom King, Icon Foods
Chief Innovations Officer/Food Scientist
In the ever-evolving world of better-for-you formulation, sweeteners aren’t just about cutting added sugar—they’re about crafting experience. Taste, texture, clean-label compliance, and cost-per-unit all ride on the back of the sweetener you choose. Enter SteviaSweet™—Icon Foods’ curated suite of high-performance steviol glycosides and extracts designed to meet the nuanced demands of formulators who want more than just “sweet enough.”
Whether you’re building a better-for-you soda with depth, a protein bar that masks pea protein’s earthy soul, or a gummy that punches above its weight in flavor, the SteviaSweet™ line has a tool for the job. From tried-and-true Rebaudioside A grades to cutting-edge blends like RM95D, optimized for maximum sweetness with minimal bitterness, we’ve dialed in the purity, potency, and palate impact to help you nail your spec sheet and your sensory panel.
This isn’t just stevia. This is stevia engineered for performance. Let’s dive into what makes each extract tick—and how to stack them for formulations that don’t just compete, they dominate.
SteviaSweet™ Product Comparison Highlights
| Product | Sweetness Level (x Sucrose) |
Usage Level (%) | Best Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96/60 | 250x | 0.020% | Beverages, tabletop, confections |
| RA95 | 200x | 0.030% | Tabletop, bakery, beverage |
| SG95e | 220x | 0.025% | Cost-effective formulations |
| RA98 | 240x | 0.020% | RTD beverages, gummies |
| RA99 | 250x | 0.015% | Premium beverages, dairy |
| RM95 | 250x | 0.015% | Masking applications, dairy |
| RD95 | 250x | 0.015% | Blends, masking botanicals |
| RA99M | 275x | 0.010% | High-purity formulations |
| RM95D | 300x | 0.010% | Max sweetness, low bitterness |
Flavor Profiles & Application Insights
- RA Series (RA95–RA99M) – Rebaudioside A
As purity increases, bitterness decreases, and sweetness becomes more rounded. RA99M, blended with other glycosides, has enhanced potency and a cleaner finish. - RM95 / RM95D – Rebaudioside M
Known for its clean taste, minimal bitterness, and excellent dairy masking. RM95D includes Rebaudioside D for enhanced synergy and minimized off-notes. - RD95 – Rebaudioside D
Rare on its own but shines in blends like RM95D for maximum sweetness with a clean profile. - SG95e – Economical and robust. Works well in complex matrices, though the flavor profile is less refined than high-purity grades.
- 95/60 – Balanced extract WITH entry-level purity but good utility across sweetener categories.
The graph below illustrates sweetness level with RM95D ranking highest in sweetness (300x), followed closely by RA99M and RM95. RA95 is the least sweet (200x) but still intense.
The graph below illustrates usage level showing higher sweetness products require lower dosages — RA99M and RM95D top the efficiency scale at just 0.01%
These sigmoid curves in the below graph model how quickly each extract reaches maximum sweetness. High-purity extracts have steep, early-onset sweetness ideal for clean-label, no-aftertaste formulations.
Application-Specific Guidance for SteviaSweet™
Beverages
Goal: Clean sweetness, zero aftertaste, and label-friendly dosage.
Top Picks:
- SteviaSweet™ RA99M – Exceptional sweetness at low usage, great for clear and sparkling beverages where lingering bitterness is a dealbreaker.
- SteviaSweet™ RM95 – Ideal for masking herbal or metallic notes in botanical and functional drinks.
- SteviaSweet™ RA98 – Balanced profile for cost-effective beverage builds, especially in energy and sports drinks.
Pro Tip: Stack RA99M with small amounts of erythritol or allulose for a sugar-like curve without adding bulk or GI distress.
Confections
Goal: Maximize sweetness, minimize recrystallization, and maintain mouthfeel.
Top Picks:
- SteviaSweet™ RM95D – Designed to deliver a full, sugar-like sweetness in chocolates and chewy candies with minimal glycosidic bitterness.
- SteviaSweet™ 95/60 – Excellent all-around choice for high-volume applications like hard candies and lozenges.
Pro Tip: Use RM95D with fiber carriers (like FibRefine™ Soluble Tapioca Fiber) to buffer sharp sweetness and stabilize texture.
Bakery
Goal: Maintain volume, clean finish, and consistent sweetness through bake.
Top Picks:
- SteviaSweet™ RA95 – Economical and effective in batters and doughs with inherent flavor masking (e.g., banana bread).
- SteviaSweet™ RD95 – Superb in blends to counter off-notes in high-protein or high-fiber bakery applications.
- SteviaSweet™ RA98 – Good for cookie-style bakes or granola applications where lingering sweetness is beneficial.
Pro Tip: Pair with allulose or glycerin to preserve moisture and suppress acrid Maillard browning.
Gummies & Functional Chews
Goal: Sweet punch with zero bitterness in small-format, high-flavor systems.
Top Picks:
- SteviaSweet™ RA99 – High purity, excellent clarity in flavor-forward gummies.
- SteviaSweet™ SG95e – Budget-conscious option for cost-sensitive chewables.
Pro Tip: Combine with monk fruit or thaumatin for sweetness curve extension and early palate coverage.
Dairy & Alt-Dairy
Goal: Clean flavor with effective masking of sulfur, lactic, or “beany” notes.
Top Picks:
- SteviaSweet™ RM95 – Tailored for dairy, it shines in yogurt, flavored milks, alt-milks, and meal-replacement shakes.
- SteviaSweet™ RM95D – Best-in-class for clean-label RTDs and indulgent alt-dairy formulas.
Pro Tip: Stack with ThauSweet™ VRM to fully suppress dairy off-notes and modulate sweetness onset.
In a landscape where “sugar reduction” is table stakes and clean label is currency, SteviaSweet™ isn’t just another stevia line—it’s your formulation advantage. With purity grades tailored to specific application demands, and glycoside blends engineered for balance, Icon Foods has turned the art of sweetening into an exact science.
Whether you’re chasing that first sip “wow” in a beverage, smoothing out protein funk in a bar, or building the perfect no-sugar gummy, there’s a SteviaSweet™ for that—and a formulation strategy to make it sing. From RA to RM to RD, from 96/60 to 99M and RM95D, we’ve got the glycoside game dialed so your finished product doesn’t just meet specs—it surpasses expectations.
Ready to elevate your sweet game? Let’s formulate something exceptional.
Icon Foods Advantage:
At Icon Foods, we take pride in offering not only high-quality steviol glycosides but also a concierge-level service that helps customers with formulation, technical support, and regulatory compliance. Our commitment to clean-label, functional ingredients and streamlined logistics ensures that our customers can confidently innovate with the highest quality ingredients in the industry.
Reach out to your Icon Foods representative for SteviaSweet™ samples, documentation and usage guidance.
Since 1999 Icon Foods has been your reliable supply chain partner for sweeteners, fibers, sweetening systems, inclusions and sweetness modulators. Taste the Icon difference.
