Safety evaluation of the food additive rebaudioside M produced via enzymatic conversion of purified steviol glycosides leaf extracts

The EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF Panel) provides a scientific opinion on the safety of a modified manufacturing process for the food additive enzymatically produced steviol glycosides (E 960c). The new process converts purified steviol glycosides extracted from Stevia rebaudiana leaves through enzymatic bioconversion catalysed by UDP‐glucosyltransferase, UTP‐glucose‐1‐phosphate uridylyltransferase and sucrose synthase enzymes, produced using a newly developed genetically modified strain of Escherichia coli (K‐12 DSM 35119).