Carbonated

Drinks: Good Hosts

to Bad Health

T
he very name sends pleasurable sensations down one's throat!
These drinks are everywhere, in myriad avatars - sending celebrities into swoons
or into undertaking death defying feats!
Sparkling and twinkling, creating a fizzy haze, making consumers down vast
quantities of junk food, helped by the pleasurable gulps.
We tested 16 brands - a merry mix of colas and orange drinks, the sparkling variety and
the Diet option for the weight conscious.
What did we find? Nothing - well almost - and we can declare with impunity - 'All is
well' in pleasure land - packaging, labeling, marking, quantity, no heavy metals, pesticides
or microbes - nothing to worry ...go ahead and swill with a clear conscience - except!!!!
This one product is sending the western hemisphere into a tizzy with obese people tripling
every decade -- with untold health problems and consequent financial burdens for the health
providers.
How can we Indian consumers be far behind our colonial cousins? We follow them as
faithfully as ever, stuffing our fridges with the lethal brew, and letting our children splurge
uncontrolled, even feeding them to toothless babies, condemning them to life-long tooth
troubles.
Our test has thrown up some questions about corporate and consumer responsibility, as
well an immediate need for stringent action by regulatory authorities. Some of these are:
Why do we have products with proven long term as well as short term negative effects
on consumer health as well as the environment? When asking around, we got the following
response from consumers: 'Oh you know the sector employs so many people and they'll all
be without jobs if this was shut down.' Just goes to show the level and understanding of
consumers towards their responsibility to society!

SO WHAT'S NEXT? least in the west, form the largest energy levels high on least cost
Next : 'Its a question of consumer consumer segment hooked on to for the employers. Only now the
choice - no one is forcing anyone. these products. There is a long employers have been replaced by
october 2011

Consumers don't need to buy this history of sugar dependence from Corporates and Consumers are
stuff if they don't want to.' the days of slave labour, when the new slaves.. slaves to sugary
Well yes of course, except the slaves were given rations of sugar in options, netting huge profits for
fact that children and the poor, at the sugar plantations to keep their the manufacturers as well as the

Consumer voice 19
 Comparative Test

health providers at the ultimate cost and the ranking of the brands and
of their own health. variants of carbonated beverages Key Findings
If consumers have been alerted tested by Consumer VOICE are as All the brands of carbonated beverages
follows: were found free from contamination
to concerns about sugar, how about
of pesticides residues and without any
the sugarless option? Brand Ranks microbial contamination as well as
The sugarless option, namely the Cola heavy metals.
Diet-Coke, our test shows , has indeed Coca Cola 1 In organolaptic properties like colour,
no sugar, but it has aspartame or even RC Cola 2 appearance, flavor & taste, brand
worse Acesulfame-K, as declared on Coca Cola performed well followed by
Catch 3 Mirinda and Sprite.
their labels. So what consumers get is
Pepsi 4 Brand Diet Pepsi (71.56ppm) was found
a product not only nil in nutrition, but
Thums Up 5 with lowest caffeine content however
also minus the energy spiking sugar,
Big Cola 6 brand Diet Coke (130.48ppm) was
and a more costly product to boot. found with highest caffeine content.
Orange
What about the regulatory Sugar was found between the ranges of
Fanta 1
authorities? 10.02 to 13.62. Brand Catch (10.02%)
Mirinda 2 had lowest sugar however Mirinda
Well the standards that are in
Lime (13.6%) had the highest quantity.
place are about parameters that are
7 Up 1 Brand Mountain Dew claimed caffeine
cosmetic, as discussed earlier. The
contain on its
labels need to carry alerts " Not fit for Limca 2
label but was
consumption by children below the Arora Lemon (local) 3 not detected
age of ----, if consumed, the portions Sparkling while testing.
need to be limited to maximum ... Sprite 1
This product is no less risky than Mountain Dew 2
cigarettes or alcohol and needs similar Appy Fizz 3
alerts and warnings. food-grade plastic containers under
Diet Cola
strict sanitary conditions.   To avoid
Cold Drinks or Carbonate Diet Pepsi 1
contamination after packaging, the
Drinks. Diet Coke 2
containers should be cleaned and/or
Carbonated drinks are known
Packing standards touches sterilized. And finally the containers
by various names world over like
the benchmark must be hermetically sealed with
soda, sparkling, and also as ‘thanda’ clean new crown or caps.
As per the Indian Standard,
in India. All the carbonated drinks
Carbonated Beverages should be Contrary to negative speculation
come with a fizz that is produced
filled in glass containers, cans or about hygiene, all the brands of
by the carbon dioxide gas that is
pressurised into the water.   Other
than the effervescent water,
carbonated drinks or soda primarily
contain ingredients like sweetener
(artificial or natural), a synthetic
taste enhancer like caffeine and a
flavouring agent, in a combination of
one or more. The sweetener may be
a sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or
a sugar substitute in the case of diet
drinks. A soft drink, mainly in cola
category may also contain caffeine.
October 2011

Widely sold soft drink flavours are

cola, lemon-lime, root beer, orange,
grape vanilla, ginger ale, fruit punch
and sparkling lemonade. The Name

20 Consumer voice
 Comparative Test

carbonated beverage were found to is a better option for

be properly packed in PET bottle.  All consumers.
the carbonate drinks container
Manufacturers
tested, including Arora Lemon which
generous in filling
is packed in typical glass bottle seal
the containers
through marble ball, scored 3 out of 3
in our rating. It is a good thing that
the big brands in India
Diet Cola scores a perfect are generous in pouring
10 in labelling and more than the printed
instruction amount in the containers.
As per the Indian Standard, The Our results show that 11
containers of carbonated beverages out 16 brands had at least 5 ml more grams of solution and represents the
should be legibly and indelibly bear than what is claimed on the label. strength of the solution as percentage
a number of information that gives And the rest were filled to absolute by weight (% w/w). If the solution
the consumer a complete idea perfection. Hence we gave full marks contains dissolved solids other than
of the product they are drinking. to all the brands. pure sucrose, then the °Bx is just an
The mandatory information on the approximate of the dissolved solid
Sugar content kept in content. As per the Indian standard
Containers is as follows.
check the sugar content should not be
a) Name of the product
Brix (symbol °Bx) is the sugar less than 8oBx. Carbonated drinks
b) Name and address of the content in the aqueous solution. One low down in rating contain artificial
manufacturer degree Brix is 1 gram of sucrose in 100 sweeteners.
c) Date of manufacture All the brands we tested met the
d) Batch Number Our Desi Lemon since minimum requirement for Brix and
e) Net volume of content 19th Century were found between the ranges of
f) Green dot (Veg. mark) 10.15 to 13.78. In our assumption
Locally manufacture soda is sold in
India—packed in distinctive, green- the sugar content should neither be
g) FPO license number
tinged, Codd-neck bottles and closed too high nor too low, and hence the
h) Storage instructions with a marble. Lines of green bottles, highest ranking for the right amount of
i) Instructions of use/consumption in crates with lemons perched on them sugar content given to Pepsi followed
are a common sight around tea stalls
j) List of key ingredients by Big Cola. The lowest ranking was
in India. Sodas are made in one room
given to Miranda which had the
k) Nutritional information
highest sugar content brix ration of
l) Disposal of Packaging/recyclability 13.78 in our test. Requirement of brix
of packaging does not apply to Diet cola drinks, as
Except Diet Coke and Diet these brands are sugar free and add
Pepsi all other brands did not mark bottling operation and are a cottage artificial sweeteners as sweetening
instructions for use on their label. industry. These sodas are part of the agent.
Diet Coke was found with adequate Indian culture, and have been around
information on its label. Brand Arora long before independence.   Hence, Sugar content within limits
Lemon was found with lowest required even when the market is taken over by Sugar (Sucrose) is a Disaccharide
branded carbonated drinks; desi soda
information on its label. And half of that can be made from the combination
still has its share of the market. To open
the brands did not give instructions a soda bottle is an art in itself, just press of Monosaccharides, glucose and
for storage. And a50% of them did down the marble and the bottle opens fructose. It is a sweet crystalline or
not give the green dot that indicates like champagne. The local soda industry powdered substance, consisting of
that the product is vegetarian. Seven in facing a crisis as the raw material for sucrose obtained mainly from sugar
making the bottles is costly. But this
october 2011

out of the 16 products scored 4.5 cane and sugar beets and used in
small room soda making industry lives
out of 5 in our ranking system with on as Ordinary people identify with this many foods, drinks, and medicines
Diet Coke scoring a perfect 5, which drink and it is part of the culture. to ostensibly improve their taste. As
is no surety that this ‘Diet’ versions per the Indian Standard, it should

Consumer voice 21
 Comparative Test

not be less than 5% in carbonated all the brands. Non cola drinks in pH which is not harmful. However,
beverages. orange, lime and sparkling category as you move down to 6 or 5 and so
All brands of carbonated beverages do not contain caffeine. One cola on it makes that product acidic.  The
met the minimum requirement for based brand Big Colas claimed as colas have a pH of around 3.0 which
sugar content in it. The sugar was being caffeine free was found to be meant it is quiet acidic and can be
found between the ranges of 10.02 correct. harmful. Effervescence is the release
to 13.62. Catch (10.02%) had lowest of gas from the drink. In colas or
sugar content among all Mirinda Aspartame beer when dissolved carbon dioxide
(13.6%) had the highest quantity. In and is depressurized it forms bubbles
our ranking system Coca Cola got the Acesulfame-K and makes the fizzing. Some experts
highest ranking of 4.99 out of 5 for Aspartame, also known by the brand feel that such pH levels change the
the right amount of sugar content, names Nutrasweet and Equal, is an additive pH levels of our body, which may
found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie not be as healthy. Moreover the
while Mirinda got the lowest rating
desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It also
of 3.96. This test is not applicable acidic nature of carbonated
comes in individual packages used in place of sugar as a
on Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi as sweetener. The safety of aspartame, as combination of two drinks and soft drinks can be
these brands are sugar free amino acids and methanol, has been the focus of hundreds harmful and can cause tooth
and add artificial sweetener of scientific studies. Conclusion by the U.S. Food and Drug to decay — www.tutorials.
Administration, the World Health Organization, the ADA, and carbonatedselzerwater.com
as sweetening agent.
the Food and Agriculture Organization indicated that the additive
Hazardous Caffeine is safe. Conversely, the Center of Science in the Public Interest gave pH is a numerical value
found to be in it their lowest ranking in a review of food additives, quoting animal that expresses the acidity
studies in 1970 and in 2007, which of a solution. The acidity
permissible suggest that there is a link between
quantity of a solution is determined
aspartame and cancer. Gerbstadt,
spokesperson from the ADA – by the concentration of
Caffeine is a stimulant
hydrogen ions in it. Aqueous
which is mainly derived an organization that supports the general
safety of aspartame – says that the additive might be solutions at 25 degree C
from a plant and widely unhealthy for some people – especially those with the disease with a pH less than seven
used in many food products phenylketonuria, an enzyme disorder – because it contains are considered Acidic, while
and aerated drinks phenalalanine. “Some people may be sensitive to it
those with   a pH greater
especially the cola based and it’s easy to avoid,' she says.
than seven are considered
variety. Caffeine is used to
Acesulfame-K Basic (Alkaline).
increase the flavour in soft
drinks. As per the Indian This is a relatively new artificial sweetener, pH was found between
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in
Standard, it should not be the range of 2.63 to 3.22 in
1998 for use in soft drinks. It is also found in baked
more than 145ppm (parts goods, chewing gum, and gelatine desserts. Acesulfame-K – the all brands.   Catch (2.63) was
per million) in carbonated “K" is the chemistry symbol for potassium - is considered 200 found with lower pH whereas
beverages. However some times sweeter than sugar. While Gerbstadt isn’t specifically 7Up (3.22) had a higher pH.
health experts warn that concerned about the sweetener when used in moderation,
caffeine is an addictive, and
there is a general concern that testing on this product Carbohydrates that
hence it should not be taken
has been scant. Some studies showed additive may gives the fizz….
cause cancer in rats, but the substance makes top
more than 500 to 600 milligram 12 lists of additives to avoid because further Carbohydrates are a source
per day.   Caffeine is also said to study is needed to conclude whether or of energy and since carbonated
cause several health hazards such not acesulfame-K harmful. beverages are sugar based product
as seizures, strokes or even death, if Source: Consumer VOICE, except the specially made category,
taken in excess and continuously. July 2008 hence they are expected to be high
All the cola brands we tested in carbohydrates. In Indian Standard
were found within the maximum limit Cold drinks are acidic in no requirement is specified for
of caffeine content. Brand Diet Pepsi nature carbohydrates content.
October 2011

(71.56ppm) was found with lowest According to experts, due to Carbohydrates were found
caffeine content however brand Diet carbonation process the oxygen in between the ranges of 10.02 to 13.67
Coke (130.48ppm) was found with soda is reduced, whereby reducing gm/100gm. Fanta (13.67) was found
highest caffeine content among the pH value of the drink. 7 is neutral with higher carbohydrates content

22 Consumer voice
 Comparative Test

Diet sodas: free of calories, not

of consequence!
Those who drink diet sodas have bigger waist sizes,
say a new research. Two new studies have linked
drinking diet soda to poorer health compared with
those who don't drink the beverage.
People who said they drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced waist
size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink
diet soda, according to researchers from the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio.
A second study found that the sweetener aspartame raised blood sugar levels
in diabetes-prone mice.
"Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may
be ill-advised," said study researcher Helen P. Hazuda, professor and at the university's school of medicine. "They may be free of calories,
but not of consequences."
The human study was based on data from 474 participants in a larger, ongoing study called the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging. In
that study, the participants were followed for nearly 10 years. Diet soft drink drinkers, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases
in waist circumference compared with those who don't drink diet soda.
Abdominal fat is a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions, the researchers said. In the
mouse study, researchers fed aspartame, a calorie-free sweetener used in some diet sodas, to diabetes-prone mice. One group of mice ate
chow to which both aspartame and corn oil were added; another group ate chow with only corn oil added.
After three months, the mice that ate aspartame showed elevated blood sugar levels."These results suggest that heavy aspartame exposure
might directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption
and the risk of diabetes in humans," said study researcher Gabriel Fernandes, professor of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the
university.
(The studies were presented on June 25, 2011 at the meeting of the American Diabetes Association.)

whereas Catch (10.02gm) had a lower So consumers need to reconsider

Can Your Cola Habit
count. This test is not applicable to their options. Why do consumers take
‘Diet’ drinks? What is their selling Soft drinks can raise your
Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi as these
blood pressure.  According
brands are sugar free and add artificial point?  If the selling point is no calorie to a new study, adults
sweetener as sweetening agent. factor there is a study that Diet soda who consumed more than
guzzlers are actually obese. 74 grams of fructose per
How high is the Soda in day – the amount in two-
giving energy? Products free of and-a-half colas – increased
their likelihood of developing
Energy value is the amount of contaminants
high blood pressure by 36
calories which our body obtains from VOICE tested carbonated drinks percent.  That’s in addition to a bloated
the foods. As carbonated beverages for heavy metals, pesticides and risk of obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.
And diet cola may not be any safer.  In
are mainly consumed for giving microbes, all found in this products.
a recent Harvard Medical School study,
instant energy, it is expected that However we found all brands we women who drank two or more servings
they are high in energy value. tested, qualified as safe and free of all of artificially sweetened cola daily were
these contaminants. The testing done found to have doubled the risk of kidney
Energy value was found between function decline, which can destroy that
the ranges of 37.38 to 51.26 kcal/100g. for contaminations are as follows: organ.  For all soft drinks, the devil’s in
Brand Catch (37.38) was found with • Pesticides tested for presence the dose, so make cola a special treat,
or at least practise portion control. Cola
lowest Energy value however brand of O,P-DDT, P,P-DDT, O,P-DDE,
fans, take note: If you must have it, cut
Fanta (51.26) was found with highest. P,P-DDE, O,P-DDD, P,P-DDD, it down to half a bottle or glass. And
october 2011

This test is not applicable on Diet Gamma-HCH (Lindane), Alpha there’s always the best option: drink
Coke and Diet Pepsi as these brands -HCH, Beta-HCH, Delta- HCH, water instead.
are sugar free and sugar is the only Alpha-Endosulfan, Beta- Endo- Source: Readers Digest
source of energy in soft drinks. sulfan, Endosulfan Sulphate,

Consumer voice 23
 Energy drinks from the
lap of Mother Nature
The water of tender coconut, technically
the liquid endosperm, is the most
nutritious wholesome beverage that the
nature has provided for the people of
the tropics to fight the sultry heat. It
has caloric value of 17.4 per 100 gm.
It is unctuous, sweet, increasing semen,
promoting digestion and clearing the
urinary path,' says Ayurveda on tender
coconut water (TWC).
Numerous medicinal properties of
tender coconut water reported are:-

Good for feeding infants suffering from

intestinal disturbances.
Oral rehydration medium.
Monocrotophos, Ethion, Chlor- necessary that it should be free Contains organic compounds possessing
pyrifos, Phorate, Phorate Sul- from contamination of any type of growth promotion properties.
phoxide, Phorate Sulphone, 2,4-D, pesticides as there may be chances Keeps the body cool.
Butachlor, Isoproturon, Alachor, of pesticide presence in carbonated Application on the body prevents prickly
Atrazine, Methyl parathion, Methyl drink through water. Fortunately none heat and summer boils and subsides the
rashes caused by small pox, chicken pox,
paraxon, Malathion, Malaoxon, of the brands of carbonated drink was measles, etc.
Aldrin, Deildrin. found with pesticides and all passed
Kills intestinal worms.
• Heavy Metals tested as Arsenic, this test. Caffeine is also a critical
Presence of saline and albumen makes
Lead, Copper, Iron, Tin, Zinc, issue with carbonated beverages, it it a good drink in cholera cases.
Cadmium and Mercury is a stimulant which is permitted to
Checks urinary infections.
be added in carbonated drinks upto
• Microbe : Total plate count, yeast Excellent tonic for the old and sick.
145ppm by Indian Standard, and if
and mount, and coliform. Cures malnourishment.
found beyond the permitted level then
Diuretic.
Conclusion it may have negative health effects.
All brands of carbonated drink were Effective in the treatment of kidney and
The testing was mainly based on urethral stones.
found within the maximum limit of
the requirements of Indian Standard
caffeine content. Can be injected intravenously in
IS: 2346 – 1992  and PFA, out of overall emergency case.
parameters the key parameters for Based on the analysis and Source: Consumer VOICE, July 2010
which carbonated beverages tested evaluation of all test parameters and
were pesticides residues, caffeine observations brand Coca Cola scored
October 2011

content, heavy metals, microbiological top among all the brands in cola scored top; in sparkling carbonated
tests and sensory properties. Since category followed by RC Cola and beverages brand Sprite performed on
carbonated beverages are mainly Catch. In orange flavour brand Fanta top position and in diet cola category
sweetened carbonated water, it is was on top; in lime flavour brand 7up brand Pepsi scored top.

24 Consumer voice
 COMPARATIVE TEST PERFORMANCE SCORE OF CARBONATED BEVERAGES
Cola Orange Lime Sparkling Diet Cola

Coca RC Thums Big Arora Mountain Appy Diet Diet

Catch Pepsi Fanta Mirinda 7Up Limca Sprite
Brand Parameter Wt.% Cola Cola Up Cola Lemon Dew Fizz Pepsi Coke
Pack Size, ml 600 2000 250 600 600 425 600 600 600 600 200 600 600 500 600 600
MRP, ` 25 55 10 24 25 15 25 24 24 25 6 25 24 25 25 30
Physico-chemical Tests
30%
Brix Value 3 2.89 2.91 2.74 2.99 2.84 2.95 2.22 2.16 2.84 2.92 2.8 2.7 2.65 2.39 NA NA
Sugar 5 4.99 4.96 4.82 4.83 4.92 4.9 3.97 3.96 4.69 4.95 4.91 4.56 4.46 4.19 NA NA
Caffeine 6 6 6 6 6 6 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 6 6
Carbohydrate 5 4.13 4.15 4 4.24 4.07 4.19 4.91 4.9 4.35 4.15 4.07 4.45 4.52 4.72 NA NA
Energy Value 6 4.49 4.52 4.24 4.7 4.39 4.61 5.91 5.88 4.89 4.53 4.72 5.07 5.2 5.56 NA NA
pH 3 2.08 2.15 2 2.43 2.3 2.42 2.38 2.62 3 2.59 2.49 2.98 2.77 2.57 2.72 2.33
Net Quantity 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Pesticide Residue* 12% 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
Heavy Metals** 10%
(Pb, Cu, As, Sn, Zn, Cd, Hg 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
& Fe) 10 10
Microbiological Tests
10% (Total Plate Count,
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Yeast & Mould Count &
Coliform Count) 15 15
Sensory Tests*** 25%
(Colour, Appearance, Odour, 19.67 20.55 19.2 18.85 16.95 20.8 21.42 20.4 19.87 13.22 21.22 19.45 15.55 18.92 17.92
Flavour & Body) 25 22.3
General Parameters 8%
Packing 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Marking 5 4.5 4 4 3.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 3 4.5 3.5 4 4 5
Overall Score 100 93.4 90.36 90.35 89.89 89.87 87.78 92.22 91.95 91.13 90.96 82.13 93.06 89.94 86.14 90.91 90.43
Rating: >90 – Excellent *****, 71-90- Very Good ****, 51-70- Good ***, 31-50- Average **, upto 30 – Poor *
* Pesticides tested for presence of O,P-DDT, P,P-DDT, O,P-DDE, P,P-DDE, O,P-DDD, P,P-DDD, Gamma- HCH (Lindane), Alpha- HCH, Beta- HCH,

Consumer voice
Delta- HCH, Alpha- Endosulfan, Beta- Endosulfan, Endosulfan Sulphate, Monocrotophos, Ethion, Chlorpyrifos, Phorate, Phorate Sulphoxide, Phorate Sulphone,
2,4-D, Butachlor, Isoproturon, Alachor, Atrazine, Methyl parathion, Methyl paraxon, Malathion, Malaoxon, Aldrin, Deildrin.
**Heavy Metals tested as Arsenic, Lead, Copper, Iron, Tin, Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury
***Sensory tests as organolaptic tests conducted involving testing experts from lab one external (VOICE)
Comparative Test

25
october 2011