High-purity rebaudioside D and low-calorie carbonated lemon-flavored beverage containing the same

A carbonated lemon-flavored beverage, comprising:

• a natural sweetener composition comprising Rebaudioside D in the range of 81-96 wt%, Rebaudioside A in the range of 3-16 wt%, Stevioside in the range of 0.1-0.8 wt%, Rebaudioside C in the range of 0.1-0.7 wt%, Rebaudioside E in the range of 0.2-0.5 wt%, Rebaudioside F in the range of 0.1-0.2 wt%;
• wherein the natural sweetener composition is obtained from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant by a method comprising the following steps:
• a. providing an extract of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant;
• b. dissolving the extract in a first aqueous solution of organic solvent to result in a first mixture of steviol glycosides, wherein the Organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol, and a mixture thereof, and the organic solvent is 75-99 vol.%;
• c. inducing crystallization in the first mixture;
• d. filtering the mixture from step (c) to obtain a first precipitate and a first filtrate;
• e. dissolving the first precipitate in a second aqueous solution of organic solvent to result in a second mixture, wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol, and a mixture thereof, and the organic solvent is 70-80 vol.%;
• f. inducing crystallization in the second mixture;
• g. filtering the mixture from step (f) to obtain a second precipitate and a second filtrate;
• h. dissolving the second precipitate in a third aqueous solution of organic solvent to result in a third mixture, wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol, and a mixture thereof, and the organic solvent is 10-80 vol.%;
• i. inducing crystallization in the third mixture;
• and
• j. filtering the mixture from step (i) to obtain a third precipitate and a third filtrateo;
• whereby the third precipitate is dried to yield the natural sweetener composition;
• citric acid;
• lemon tincture;
• carbonated water;
• and
• one or more beverage ingredients;
• whereby all components are admixed so as to produce the carbonated lemon-flavored beverage.