<![CDATA[Stevia rebaudiana is a natural sweetener that is increasingly valued for its bioactive compounds, particularly stigmasterol, which exhibits potent antioxidant and anti-inflamatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the kinetics of stigmasterol degradation, moisture content, instrumental color changes, and organoleptic alterations in stevia simplicia stored over 35 months. Stigmasterol content was quantified using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) densitometry, moisture content was determined gravimetrically, and quality stability was assessed through instrumental colorimetric analysis and organoleptic evaluation (odor and flavor). The results showed that stigmasterol content decreased significantly from 7.30% at month 0 to below 4.00% within the first 12 months, eventually reaching approximately 1.30% at month 35 adhering to a first-order kinetic model. Conversely, moisture content increased steadily following zero-order kinetics (R² = 0.9184; k = 0.1715). Instrumental color analysis demonstrated a marked decrease in green-color intensity (µG) from 89.48 to 48.94, which coincided with a noticeable decline in organoleptic quality (odor and flavor). Overall, moisture accumulation during storage was strongly associated with accelerated stigmasterol degradation and sensory deterioration, emphasizing the critical need for moisture-retentive storage conditions to maintain the quality of stevia simplicia.]]>
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