Alternative for natural sweeteners: Improving the use of stevia as a source of steviol glycosides

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a shrub commonly called 'stevia' belonging to the Asteraceae family, cultivated in many regions worldwide. Its main characteristic is the presence of sweetening metabolites, steviol glycosides (StGlys), having up to 300 times more sweetening capacity than a 0.4% solution of sucrose. StGlys have made this species extremely relevant for the food and beverage industries, gaining greater industrial and scientific interest in recent years. However, more plant material production is needed to meet the increased demand of the global market. In addition, stevia has a wide variety of properties that offer benefits against many health problems, such as polyphenols and terpenoids, as well as phytosterols and vitamins, highlighting the importance of its consumption and commercialization. Thus, considering the current great notoriety of the species, the purpose was to compile studies from the characterization of seeds to their industrial and safety applications, addressing biotechnological strategies to understand, stimulate, and improve the biosynthesis of stevia plant metabolites. In addition to providing useful information for plant breeding and/or high-quality seeds, large-scale cultivation, and leaf biomass production. •A comprehensive review of the safety of natural sweeteners obtained from S. rebaudiana is provided.•Photoperiod variation influences the biomass productivity of S. rebaudiana.•Different production systems for producing fertile seeds and obtaining quality biomass.•Biotechnological strategies to improve large-scale production of stevia.