Herbal Extraction Plants

Stevia rebaudiana

Purity Levels

Stevioside 90% and Rebaudioside 60%

Extraction Technologies

Counter-Current Extraction (CCE)Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE)Hybrid ExtractionMicrowave-Assisted Extraction (MAE)

Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey herbal extraction plants for Stevia rebaudiana, converting dried Stevia leaf into high-purity natural sweetener standardised to Stevioside 90% and Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) 60%+. As a stevia extraction plant manufacturer, we supply the complete hot-water extraction, membrane filtration, ion-exchange purification, crystallisation and spray-drying line for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Candidate extraction technologies for steviol glycosides: Counter-Current Extraction (CCE), Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE), Hybrid Extraction and Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) (4 in total).

Mechotech's Stevia rebaudiana plant is engineered around the real chemistry of stevia leaf: stevioside and Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) are the two major, commercially significant steviol glycosides accumulated in the leaf, and both are recovered by food-grade hot-water extraction rather than an organic solvent — the correct route for a food-grade sweetener, since it leaves no solvent-residue concern for regulated food and beverage buyers. Ion-exchange resin purification then removes the bitter, colouring non-glycoside impurities that would otherwise carry into the finished sweetener, and controlled crystallisation isolates the sweet glycoside fraction to specification. Built in SS 316L with membrane filtration, crystallisation/spray-drying and PLC-SCADA automation, each plant is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system engineered to the declared Stevioside 90% and Rebaudioside-A 60%+ specification, with GMP hygienic design.

Technical Specifications

Product	Stevia Rebaudiana Extraction & Purification Plant
Botanical Name	Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni
Feedstock	Stevia leaves
Part / Feed Form	Leaves
Target Extract	Steviol glycosides
Extract Type	Steviol glycoside extract / Rebaudioside-A powder
Standardisation	Stevioside 90%; Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) 60%+, up to 98–99% for premium grade
Extraction Method	Counter-current, UAE, Hybrid, MAE
Technology Count	4
Extraction Conditions	Food-grade hot-water extraction (no organic solvent)
Product-contact Material	SS 304 / SS 316L, hygienic, CIP/SIP-cleanable
Filtration System	Pressure leaf filtration + cross-flow membrane filtration
Purification System	Food-grade ion-exchange resin columns + activated-carbon decolourisation
Concentration System	Multi-effect low-temperature vacuum evaporator
Crystallisation & Drying	Controlled crystallisation with centrifugation, and/or spray drying
Automation	Configurable — manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic PLC-SCADA (recipe-based)
Utility Requirements	Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air, soft & RO water, power (project-specific)
Compliance	GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification
Final Product Form	Free-flowing crystalline or spray-dried steviol glycoside powder
Plant Capacity	Reference project: 20 MT/day of stevia leaves (see the Stevia Extraction Plant case study)

Plant Capacities

Plant Scale	Raw Material Throughput	Typical Use
Pilot	Configured to your feedstock and trial plan	Product development, parameter validation
Semi-Commercial	Configured between pilot and commercial scale	Contract manufacturing, scale-up trials
Commercial	Reference project: 20 MT/day of stevia leaves	Commercial production at confirmed buyer volume

The commercial figure is the reference project described in the Stevia Extraction Plant case study. Capacity is configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume; we recommend a pilot plant to validate process parameters before scaling.

Manufacturing Process

Each extraction method follows a different process — pick a method to see its steps.

Raw-Material Preparation

Stevia leaves are cleaned and size-reduced so steviol glycosides can be reached by the extraction medium; particle size and moisture are set during process development.

Counter-Current Loading

Prepared stevia leaves are fed into a multi-stage solid–liquid counter-current extractor where fresh ethanol/water or a suitable food-grade solvent meets the most-depleted material.

Counter-Current Extraction

Solvent flows against the solids across stages to draw out steviol glycosides; bed flow and fines management are verified during pilot work.

Extract (Miscella) Collection

The steviol glycosides-bearing miscella is collected from the fresh-feed end while spent solids are discharged from the solvent-entry end.

Concentration & Solvent Recovery

Solvent is removed from the clarified steviol glycosides-bearing extract under vacuum and returned through a solvent-recovery loop; recovery performance is confirmed at pilot scale.

Standardisation & Drying

The steviol glycosides extract is assayed against the declared target specification and dried or supplied as a concentrate, according to the requirement.

Major Plant Equipment

Leaf cleaning system
Hammer mill
Stainless-steel hot-water extraction vessels
Plate heat exchangers
Pressure leaf filters
Membrane filtration unit
Ion exchange columns
Activated carbon system
Multi-effect vacuum evaporator
Crystallisers
Industrial centrifuges
Spray dryer
Ribbon blender
Storage tanks
CIP system
PLC-SCADA automation panel
Electrical MCC & instrumentation package

Plant Output

Stevioside 90% and Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) 60% (listed standard)Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) 98% and 99% (see the Stevia Extraction Plant case study)Stevia Extract at 80%, 95%, 97% and 99% Steviol Glycosides (see the case study)

Case Study

Stevia Extraction Plant — Steviol Glycosides & Rebaudioside-A Turnkey Project

See how this plant was engineered and delivered for a real project.

Applications

Carbonated and functional beverages
Dairy products and dairy alternatives
Confectionery and bakery products
Tabletop natural sweeteners
Pharmaceutical syrups and formulations
Nutraceutical and functional food products
Export to regulated-market food ingredient buyers

Key Features

Solvent-Free Hot-Water Extraction
Food-grade hot-water extraction recovers stevioside and Rebaudioside-A without organic solvent residue, simplifying regulatory compliance for food and beverage buyers.
Ion-Exchange Bitterness Reduction
Dedicated ion-exchange purification removes the non-glycoside impurities responsible for stevia's characteristic bitterness and aftertaste, delivering a cleaner sweetness profile — particularly important for the higher-value Reb-A fraction.
High-Purity Reb-A Capability
Membrane filtration, decolourisation and crystallisation stages are configured to reach premium Rebaudioside-A grades (98–99%) alongside standard Stevioside 90% output.
GMP Hygienic SS 316L Construction
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces use GMP hygienic design, with CIP/SIP operation between batches.
Flexible Crystallisation or Spray-Dried Output
The plant is configured for crystalline Reb-A, spray-dried steviol glycoside powder, or both, matching the customer's target product mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Stevia rebaudiana?

Yes. Mechotech supplies the complete turnkey plant for Stevia rebaudiana — engineered, fabricated at our Hyderabad facility, installed and commissioned as a single integrated system.

What specification can the Stevia rebaudiana plant achieve?

The catalogue lists Stevioside 90% and Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) 60% for this extract. The page’s Standardisation row also notes up to 98–99% Reb-A for a premium grade. The plant is configured to the client’s target specification; the specification achieved is established during process development and pilot validation, and batch-release testing with certificate-of-analysis documentation is defined with the client.

Why does the process use hot-water extraction instead of solvent extraction?

Stevioside and Rebaudioside-A are food-grade sweeteners, so Mechotech's plant uses food-grade hot-water extraction rather than an organic-solvent (hydro-alcoholic) route used for many other botanicals. This avoids solvent-residue concerns entirely for food and beverage buyers, while still efficiently recovering both major steviol glycosides from the leaf.

Why does Rebaudioside-A command a premium over Stevioside?

Both are genuine, well-documented steviol glycosides from Stevia leaf, but Rebaudioside-A has a cleaner taste profile with less bitter, licorice-like aftertaste than stevioside, which is why Reb-A commands a commercial premium in the natural-sweetener market. The two molecules differ in the number and arrangement of glucose units attached to the shared steviol backbone, and that structural difference is what gives Reb-A its comparatively cleaner sweetness curve — buyers formulating beverages and other taste-sensitive products generally prefer a higher Reb-A ratio for this reason. Mechotech's ion-exchange purification and crystallisation stages are configured to concentrate and isolate the Reb-A fraction to premium grades (98–99%) when that is the target product.

Are newer steviol glycosides like Reb-M or Reb-D relevant to this plant?

Rebaudioside-M (Reb-M) and Rebaudioside-D (Reb-D) are newer-generation steviol glycosides that have become increasingly important in the global sweetener market because they offer an even cleaner taste profile than Reb-A, with minimal bitter or liquorice notes. They occur in Stevia leaf only in trace amounts, so commercial Reb-M/Reb-D supply is typically produced via bioconversion from more abundant glycosides such as stevioside or Reb-A rather than direct leaf extraction. Mechotech's core plant is built around the food-grade hot-water extraction and purification of stevioside and Reb-A from leaf; buyers targeting Reb-M/Reb-D-based products should discuss their specific process requirement with us so the extraction and purification train can be evaluated for that use case.

What plant part of Stevia is used, and why?

Dried Stevia leaf is used, since stevioside and Rebaudioside-A — the two major, commercially significant steviol glycosides — accumulate in the leaf tissue rather than the stem or root.

What production capacities are available for the Stevia rebaudiana plant?

Capacity is selected from raw-material supply, confirmed buyer volume and investment timeline. The reference project in the Stevia Extraction Plant case study processes 20 MT/day of stevia leaves; Mechotech recommends a pilot plant to validate process parameters before scaling.

Which industries use the Stevia rebaudiana plant?

Food and beverage manufacturers, dairy processors, confectionery and bakery producers, pharmaceutical companies, and nutraceutical brands use Mechotech plants for consistent, compliant natural-sweetener production.

What does it cost to set up a Stevia extraction plant, and how is pricing determined?

Project cost depends on target capacity, purification depth (standard Stevioside 90% versus premium 98–99% Reb-A), automation level, and utility infrastructure. Mechotech provides a detailed techno-commercial proposal after reviewing your raw-material supply, target market and compliance requirements — contact us for a capacity-specific quotation.

Does leaf harvest timing affect the glycoside yield the plant can recover?

Yes. Steviol glycoside content in Stevia leaf is affected by harvest timing and post-harvest handling — leaf harvested at optimum maturity and dried promptly under controlled conditions carries a higher, more consistent glycoside load than over-mature or poorly-dried leaf, which directly affects the extraction yield and purification load on the plant. Mechotech's process design accounts for reasonable variation in incoming leaf quality, but buyers sourcing their own leaf should work with agronomically informed suppliers and dry leaf promptly after harvest to protect glycoside content ahead of extraction.

What is a stevia leaf extraction plant for steviol glycosides?

It is a turnkey Mechotech plant that processes stevia leaves to recover steviol glycosides. The plant covers raw-material preparation, extraction, separation, concentration or fraction collection, and drying or packing, and is configured to the target specification. It sits within Mechotech's wider range of herbal extraction plants.

Which plant part or feed form does the stevia leaf plant process?

The candidate feedstock is stevia leaves. The target extract is steviol glycosides.

Which extraction technologies are suitable for stevia leaves?

This feedstock has 4 candidate technologies: Counter-Current Extraction (CCE), Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE), Hybrid Extraction and Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE). See the related pages on counter-current extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, hybrid extraction and microwave-assisted extraction. These are screening candidates, not guarantees of yield, purity or recovery; the route is confirmed through process development and pilot validation. In Mechotech's technology screening these candidates are ranked directionally — high-priority: Counter-Current Extraction (rank 34 of 100), Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (rank 34 of 100), Hybrid Extraction (rank 35 of 100), Microwave-Assisted Extraction (rank 34 of 100). Ranks are directional screening priorities at method-family level, not measured yield, ROI or plant guarantees.

How does the stevia leaf extraction process work?

Each route follows the same outline: prepare stevia leaves, extract steviol glycosides using the technology-specific step, separate and clarify the extract, concentrate it, and recover, standardise and dry. The process tabs above show the steps for each listed technology.

What equipment does the stevia leaf extraction plant include?

The equipment follows the selected route and includes leaf cleaning system; hammer mill; stainless-steel hot-water extraction vessels; plate heat exchangers; pressure leaf filters; membrane filtration unit; ion exchange columns; activated carbon system. The full list is shown under Major Plant Equipment.

Which related Mechotech extraction pages cover the same material or target?

The reference project is described in the Stevia Extraction Plant case study. Plant-derived sweetener extraction is also covered for monk fruit.

Do steviol glycosides have specific regulatory purity requirements buyers should know about?

Yes. Steviol glycosides sold as food ingredients are subject to purity and compositional specifications in major regulated markets — for example, JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) and equivalent US and EU food-additive specifications define minimum total steviol-glycoside purity and limit non-glycoside impurities. These specifications can vary by market and are periodically updated, so buyers should confirm the current specification applicable to their target market and align the plant's purification depth (Stevioside 90%, Reb-A 60%, or premium 98–99% Reb-A) accordingly before finalising a project.

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Stevia rebaudiana