Rebaudioside-D containing sweetener compositions

1. A sweetening composition consisting essentially of:

a blend of erythritol, sugar, rebaudioside A, and rebaudioside D,

wherein the rebaudioside A is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 1.25% by weight of the total composition;

wherein the rebaudioside D is present in an amount ranging from 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight of the total composition;

wherein the rebaudioside D and rebaudioside A are present in a 97:3 ratio by weight percent; and

wherein the rebaudioside D and rebaudioside A are embedded and recrystallized within a blend of the erythritol and sugar.

2. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , further comprising a flavor material selected from the group consisting of cream, hazelnut, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, pecan, lemon, lime, raspberry, peach, mango, vanillin, butter, butterscotch, tea, orange, tangerine, caramel, strawberry, banana, grape, plum, cherry, blueberry, pineapple, elderberry, watermelon, bubblegum, cantaloupe, guava, kiwi, papaya, coconut, mint, spearmint, derivatives, and combinations thereof.

3. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , further comprising an aroma component in an amount from about 2 to about 10 times the detectable amount.

4. The sweetening composition of claim 3 , wherein the aroma component is selected from the group consisting of essential oils, expressed oils, distilled oils, extracts, anethole, anisole, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, camphor, cinnamaldehyde, citral, d-limonene, ethyl butanoate, eugenol, furaneol, furfural, linalool, menthol, methyl butanoate, methyl salicylate, neral, nerolin, pentyl butanoate, pentyl pentanoate, sotolon, strawberry ketone, substituted pyrazines, e.g., 2-ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine; 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine; and 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine, thuj one, thymol, trimethylamine, vanillin, and combinations thereof.

5. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , further comprising coloring selected from the group consisting of annatto extract, caramel, grape skin extract, paprika, riboflavin, turmeric, fruit or vegetable juices, FD&C red, yellow or blue colors.

6. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , further comprising an active, wherein the active is a pharmaceutical active selected from the group consisting of eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate, and thymol.

7. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an energy content less than that of a nutritive sugar.

8. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition exhibits improved sensory characteristics relative to commercial stevia product, the characteristics including decreased perception of off-taste and bitterness, more sugar-like taste and more sugar-like mouth feel.

9. The sweetening composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an energy content of less than 5 calories per every 1 gram SES.