Granulation of a Stevia sweetener

A method for producing a sweetener comprising the steps of:

• A) providing a Stevia sweetener powder;
• B) reducing the particle size of the Stevia sweetener powder to a particle size of less than 260 μm;
• C) treating the Stevia sweetener powder under reduced pressure of between about 0 mbar to 100 mbar and an elevated temperature of between about 90-130° C.;
• D) cooling down the treated Stevia sweetener powder to a low temperature of about 25° C.;
• and
• E) holding the cooled Stevia sweetener powder at the low temperature to obtain a high solubility Stevia sweetener powder with an increased solubility of at least about 1 g per 100 g of water at ambient temperature;
• and
• F) introducing the high solubility Stevia sweetener powder to a roll compaction apparatus to produce a compacted material;
• introducing the compacted material to a size reducing apparatus to obtain a granule mixture;
• and fractionating the granule mixture to obtain a granulated Stevia sweetener having a particle size ranging from about 140 μm to about 680 μm and having a dissolution rate greater than a dissolution rate of the high solubility Stevia powder.