Identification, Chemical Synthesis, and Sweetness Evaluation of Rhamnose or Xylose Containing Steviol Glycosides of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) Leaves

Abstract

Steviol glycosides obtained from Stevia rebaudiana leaves are increasingly used in the food industry as natural lowcalorie sweeteners. Among them, the sweetness of major glycosides composed of glucose residues (e.g., stevioside and rebaudioside A) has been widely studied. However, the properties of minor natural products containing rhamnose or xylose residues are poorly investigated. In this study, five unreported steviol glycosides containing rhamnose or xylose were extracted from our developing stevia leaves, and their sweetness was evaluated. The highly glycosylated steviol glycosides were identified, and their structures were examined by fragmentation analysis using mass spectrometry. Chemical synthesis of these glycosides confirmed their structures and allowed sensory evaluation of minor steviol glycosides. Our study revealed that a xylose-containing glycoside, rebaudioside FX1, exhibits a well-balanced sweetness, and thus, it is a promising candidate for natural sweeteners used in the food industry.

Fine-Scale Characterization of Plant Diterpene Glycosides Using Energy-Resolved Untargeted LC-MS/MS Metabolomics Analysis

“…They are widely used as natural sugar substitutes or low-calorie sweeteners in foods, beverages, and medicines. 6,7 Stevia rebaudiana is a well-known and globally cultivated industrial plant. 8,9 The identification of novel diterpene glycosides in S. rebaudiana may discover compounds with unique and desirable characteristics, which potentially leads to the development of new natural sweeteners or therapeutics.…”

“…Among them, steviol glycosides, such as stevioside and rebaudioside, are typical and representative diterpene glycosides contributing to the sweetness of Stevia genus plants. They are widely used as natural sugar substitutes or low-calorie sweeteners in foods, beverages, and medicines. , Stevia rebaudiana is a well-known and globally cultivated industrial plant. , The identification of novel diterpene glycosides in S. rebaudiana may discover compounds with unique and desirable characteristics, which potentially leads to the development of new natural sweeteners or therapeutics. − Additionally, this discovery also holds implications for the commercial cultivation, industrial extraction, and purification processes of S. rebaudiana…”