Do you know that soda is quite a popular drink across the world? People of the United States, for example, drink soda as their daily habit. Not only soda is tasty, but also because soda is relatively cheap. Today, we still see a lot of factories made a product with ingredients of soda. Coca-cola, for example, has produced a lot of soda drink. Furthermore, they sell it around the world and lot of people has bought for it. Other companies are starting to produce the same product to compete Coca-cola, that is why soda drink products today have a lot of variety.
But, do you know that a lot of food commission judged that soda is one of the most ‘poisonous’ drink that should be avoided? While on the other hand factories say that their soda product is actually not harmful. By knowing what chemicals in soda is, we can know whether we shall consume it or not. But remember, not every soda that companies made has the same chemicals compounds inside them. Below you will find some of the list of chemicals in soda.
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1. Ammonia sulfite process caramel
Ammonia sulfite process caramel, or also known as Caramel Color IV, is a coloring agent to make soda looks somewhat black. This compound is created by heating carbohydrates with ammonium compound. In addition to that, this process also yields a carcinogenic chemical which is 4-methylimidazole. Studies have shown that 4-MI has significant carcinogenic effects that can cause cancer if we consume it more than 16 micrograms per day. The bad news is, a can of cola contains around 130 microgrammes.
Consuming one can of soda is quite dangerous if we see from this point. Imagine, consuming one can of soda that contains caramel color IV, means that our chance of getting cancer is 16 times higher than before.
General properties
Caramel color has color ranges from yellow to dark brown. It contains many elements in the process to make it, such as fructose, sucrose, and others. However, it mainly consisted of carbohydrate.
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2. Carbonated water
Carbonated water, also called soda water, is a water into which carbon dioxide has been dissolved. Some of the carbonated water products contain an additive, but there are also other products that don’t contain an addictive such as seltzer water. Companies sold most of the carbonated water as carbonated beverages such as soft drinks. Carbonated water is one of the main compounds in soda production. In every soda products, it always contains soda water.
General properties
Carbonated water has a chemical formula of H2CO3. It has an extra of carbon oxide inside the water formula. The pH level of carbonated water is between 3 and 4, which is approximately lies between the pH value of the apple and orange juice acidity. Because an acid is present, this will change the flavor of the water to a slightly tart flavor.
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3. Citric acid
Citric acid is one of the compounds used in some of the soda products made by factories. It is a weak organic acid. This chemical occurs naturally in citrus fruits. This chemical is manufactured every year. Companies produced it more than a million of tons. Not only being used in soda production, citric acid also widely being used as a flavoring and chelating agent. Citric acid is also used in detergent applications, cosmetics, pharmaceutics and also within the chemical industry.
General properties
A citric acid formula is C6H8O7. It has 192.12 g/mol molar mass, 1.542 g/cm3 density in its monohydrate form. It also has a high boiling point, which is 310-degree Celsius and 156-degree Celsius melting point. Citric acid is soluble in many solutions, including alcohol, ether, and also ethyl acetate.
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4. Caffeine
Caffeine, which is mainly found in coffee, is also one of the chemicals used in soda production by some companies. This chemical is one of the most used and consumed psychoactive drugs which is legal in nearly all parts of our world. Caffeine works by stimulating one of our central nervous systems. Caffeine natural source comes from the coffee bean. Factories might produce beverages that contain caffeine in order to prevent drowsiness and to improve its drinker performance.
The toxic doses of caffeine are 10 grams per day. In the regular cup of coffee, they only contain around 80-175 mg of caffeine. It means we can drink at least 50 or 100 regular cups of coffee per day before we reach the toxic dose. A lot, isn’t it? However, if you consume pure powdered caffeine, it is safer to not drink it more than once per day, and at maximum below the tablespoon-sized amounts. Because if you consume more than that, it will be very lethal for you.
Other uses of caffeine include:
- Treatment of orthostatic hypotension. Patient with orthostatic hypotension could be treated with giving an intake of caffeine to some degree to help them fight their disease.
- Apnea of prematurity primary treatment.
- Treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. It can reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy, and also cognitive and language delay. In addition to that, it can also improve weight gain.
General properties
Caffeine chemical formula is C8H10N4O2. It has 194.19 g/mol molar mass and 1.23 g/cm3 density. In addition to that, caffeine has a relatively high melting point, which is around 235 to 238-degree Celsius in its anhydrous form. (You can also read: Chemicals in Energy Drinks )
5. Potassium Benzoate
Potassium benzoate is a food preservative that inhibits the growth of yeast, mold and also some kind of bacteria. Because of this properties, potassium benzoate is widely used to preserve beverages, such as fruit juice, soft drinks, or others products. In addition to that, it is also used in the whistle of fireworks. The Food Commission, which is an organization that campaigns for safer and healthier food in the UK, describes potassium benzoate as a mild irritant compound to eyes, mucous membranes, and skin cells.
General properties
Potassium benzoate has a chemical formula of C7H5KO2. It has 160.21 g/mol molar mass and 1.5 g/cm3 density. Potassium benzoate has a relatively high melting point, around 300-degree celsius. It is soluble in water, ethanol, and slightly soluble in methanol but insoluble in ether solution. Potassium benzoate is white and odorless compound. You can’t smell it, that’s why you can’t identify it using your nose. A laboratorium test is needed to identify potassium benzoate in food.
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6. Phosphoric Acid
Thus, there are many list of chemicals in soda, one of them is Phosphoric acid, which goes by other names such as an orthophosphoric acid is an inorganic mineral. It has other related compounds called polyphosphoric acids. Other than being used in soda production, phosphoric acid has other applications in different fields. Phosphoric acid other application including as acting as a rust converter, dental and or orthopedic etchant, soldering flux, dispersing agent, food additive and so on. In soda product, phosphoric acid mainly acts as a food additive agent, which provides a sour or tangy taste. In soda product, phosphoric acid has the potential of dental erosion.
General properties
Phosphoric acid has a chemical formula of H3O4P. It has 97.99 g/mol molar mass and a varying density, around 1.685 g/ml to 2.030 g/ml density. It has white solid color, but also can become colorless in appearance. In the other hand, phosphoric acid is always odorless in any of its forms. Phosphoric acid has a relatively low melting point, around 29.32 to 42.35-degree celsius. But, it has a relatively high boiling point, around 158 to 213-degree celsius. It is soluble in water and ethanol and not in others.
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7. Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener, that companies use as a sugar substitute in many foods and beverages in the market. Historically, it was first synthesized in 1965, firstly sold with the brand name of NutraSweet. Aspartame is not free from controversy. A lot of food commission said that it is a dangerous compound. While on the other hand, European Food Safety Authority, has concluded in its 2013 reevaluation that aspartame is not dangerous for human consumption at current levels of exposure, differing from other reviews. Despite its controversy, aspartame is one of the most used chemicals compounds in the soda industry. In another words, when you drink soda, there is a high probability that you also drink aspartame.
General properties
The general formula of aspartame is C14H18N205. It has 294.32 g/mol molar mass, 1.347 g/cm3 density, and 246 to 247 degree Celsius melting point. It has a higher melting point than water boiling point.
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Harmful Chemicals Contains in Soda
Indeed, there are many list of chemicals in Soda and there are controversial compound of soda too:
- Alcohol
Most of soda brands contain at least 10mg/liter low soda. - Citric Acid
Promotes you at least 25% tooth problem if you consume it regularly. - Phosphoric Acid
Have effect in lowering your calcium amount in body. - Mercury
Some soda also contains mercury which is really bad for body
That is some of the chemicals that factories use to made soda products. You know now that soda consists of some dangerous but also relatively safe compound if it is drunk to some degree. Please decide wisely before you drink soda. If you have a sickness or some allergies toward the list of chemicals in soda, you must avoid soda at all cost. Be healthy, and be safe!
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