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Several attempts to decrease sugar demand by introducing stevioside as a sugar substitute in children's food products have been made, but safety issues were concerned. This exploratory study investigated the effects of stevioside low dose (SL), high dose (SH) and low dose with inulin (SL + I) for 12 weeks on the body weight, organ relative weight, hematological and biochemical parameters and enzyme activities of young male rats. The SL dose used in this study was 15 mg kg(-1) per day and the SH dose was 100-fold the low dose. Enormous similarities in most parameters were observed with no significant differences between SL, SL + I and control except in the lipid profile. Total lipid reduction in SL and SL + I and significant high-density lipoprotein increase in SL + I were observed, which may be considered as clinically beneficial. Significant decreases in serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity were also observed in all treatments. Treatment with SH caused significant changes in all investigated toxicological parameters. The results indicated that, although the SL dose was higher than the stevioside temporary accepted daily intake (5.0 mg kg(-1) body weight), no toxicological effects were observed in SL or SL + I on body weight, organ relative weight, hematological and biochemical parameters or enzyme activities investigated in this study, whereas stevioside high dose (1500 mg kg(-1) per day) may be considered as a toxic dose for the same biological parameters in young male rats. However, the effects of SL, SH and SL + I on serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity need more investigation.

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Steviolbioside (Sb) was synthesized from stevioside and characterized by infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR) spectroscopy. The purity melting point, solubility, acute toxicity, heat stability and sensory properties of Sb were evaluated. Physicochemical and sensory properties of low calorie fruit drinks and shortened cake prepared by replacing sugar with Sb were evaluated. Sb was stable in neutral or acidic aqueous solutions maintained at 100°C for 2 h. The sweetness intensity rate of Sb was found to be about 44 and 18.51 times sweeter than 0.5% and 10% sucrose solution, respectively. Sb solutions had sweet taste without bitterness compared to stevioside. No significant differences between the organoleptic properties of cakes prepared using sugar and those prepared replacing sugar with 50% Sb were observed. All drinks replacing sugar with Sb at 66% level had the highest overall acceptability scores comparable to those prepared using sugar alone.

Recycling of ligno-cellulosic residues and economically viable crops production with improved water use efficiency is imperative to secure high-quality sustainable food production and implement the environmental sustainability. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate superabsorbent sugarcane bagasse polymer composite (SBP) on Stevia rebaudiana quality and production under deficit irrigation. The experiment was conducted at Sabahia Agricultural Research Station, Alexandria, Egypt during two seasons 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 under the greenhouse conditions. Three SBP treatments (0.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/5 kg of soils) using three irrigation levels (100%, 70% and 50% of field capacity) were applied. Data revealed that the soil amendment with SBP enhanced and gave the highest values of stevia growth parameters, chlorophyll, total soluble carbohydrate and steviol glycoside (SVglys) under both irrigation systems in both seasons. The SBP at dosage 2 and 4% levels into the soil led to an increase of dry leaves yield by 1.5 and 1.32 fold, respectively compared to yield in untreated soil under 70% field capacity. Calculated SVglys and determined by IR was high in soil amendment with 2.0% SBP (15.60%) under 100% irrigation levels and nearly closed in 70% irrigation level (15.02%). SBP application under deficit irrigation conditions increased of amount WUE and showed improvement in peroxidase isozyme system that can be used as a biomarker for characterizing drought stress tolerance. Hence, it could be recommended that SBP can be used to enhance the stevia productivity and enabled the survival of stevia plant under deficit irrigation conditions.

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