The Coca-Cola formula is The Coca-Cola Company's secret recipe for Coca-Cola. As a publicity, marketing strategy and intellectual property protection strategy started by Robert W. Woodruff, the company presents the formula as a closely held trade secret known only to a few employees, mostly executives.
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Original formula
Published competitors say it contains sugar, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, coca leaf, kola nut extract, lime extract, flavoring mixture, vanilla and glycerin. Alleged syrup recipes vary greatly. The basic “cola” taste from Coca-Cola and competing cola drinks comes mainly from vanilla and cinnamon; distinctive tastes among various brands are the result of trace flavorings such as orange, lime and lemon and spices such as nutmeg. [1]
To this day, Coca-Cola uses a United States license to purify the coca leaf for medicinal use.[2]
Because cocaine is naturally present in coca leaves, today's Coca-Cola uses "spent", or treated, coca leaves, those that have been through a cocaine extraction process, to flavor the beverage. Some contend that this process cannot extract all of the cocaine alkaloids at a molecular level, and so the drink still contains trace amounts of the stimulant.[1][3] The Coca-Cola Company currently refuses to comment on the continued presence of coca leaf in Coca-Cola.[4][5]
Other formulas
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Kosher Coca Cola is the closest formula to the original that can be purchased it is still produced for Passover. It is sold in 2-liter bottles with a yellow cap marked with an OU-P, indicating that the Orthodox Jewish Union certifies the soda as Kosher for Passover or with a white cap with a CRC-P indicating that the certification is provided by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. While the coca-cola Cocainne formula is kosher, during Passover Ashkenazic Jews do not consume Kitniyot, which prevents them from consuming high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Even sugar-based formulas would still require certification of both the formula and the specific bottling plant, as the strictures of Kashrut on Passover are far higher and more complicated than usual kosher observance. This variety is also consumed by some who view sugar-based cola as tasting better and more natural than HFCS based soda.
Purported secret recipes
Pemberton Recipe
This recipe is attributed to a diary owned by Coca-Cola inventor, John S. Pemberton, just before his death in 1888. (U.S. measures).[6]
- Ingredients:
- 1 oz (28 g) caffeine citrate
- 3 oz (85 g) citric acid
- 1 US fl oz (30 ml; 1 imp fl oz) vanilla extract
- 1 US qt (946 ml; 33 imp fl oz) lime juice
- 2.5 oz (71 g) flavoring
- 30 lb (14 kg) sugar
- 4 US fl oz (118.3 ml; 4.2 imp fl oz) powder extract of cocaine (decocainized flavor essence of the coca leaf)
- 2.5 US gal (9.5 l; 2.1 imp gal) water
- caramel sufficient
- Flavoring:
- "Mix caffeine acid and lime juice in 1 quart boiling water add vanilla and flavoring when cool. Let stand for 24 hours."
This recipe does not specify when or how the ingredients are mixed, or the flavoring oil quantity units of measure. This was common in recipes at the time, as it was assumed that preparers knew the method.
Reed Recipe
This recipe is attributed to pharmacist John Reed[7][8]
-
- 30 lb (14 kg) sugar
- 2 US gal (7.6 l; 1.7 imp gal) water
- 1 US qt (950 ml; 33 imp fl oz) lime juice
- 4 oz (110 g) citrate of caffeine
- 2 oz (57 g) citric acid
- 1 US fl oz (30 ml; 1.0 imp fl oz) extract of vanilla
- 3/4 US fl oz (22.18 ml; 0.78 imp fl oz) fluid extract of kola
- 3/4 US fl oz (22.18 ml; 0.78 imp fl oz) fluid extract of coca
Merory Recipe
Recipe is from Food Flavorings: Composition, Manufacture and Use. Makes one 1 US gallon (3.8 l; 0.83 imp gal) of syrup. Yield (used to flavor carbonated water at 1 US fl oz (30 ml; 1.0 imp fl oz) per bottle): 128 bottles, 6.5 US fl oz (190 ml; 6.8 imp fl oz).[6][9]
- Mix 5 lb (2.3 kg) of sugar with just enough water to dissolve the sugar fully. (High-fructose corn syrup may be substituted for half the sugar.)
- Add 11⁄4 oz (35 g) of caramel, 1⁄10 oz (3 g) caffine, and 2⁄5 oz (11 g) phosphoric acid.
- Extract the cocaine from 5⁄8 drachms (1.1 g) of coca leaf (Truxillo growth of coca preferred) with toluol; dry the cocaine extract.
- Soak the coca leaves and kola nuts (both finely powdered; 1⁄5 drachms (0.35 g) in 3⁄4 oz (21 g) of 20% alcohol.
- California white wine fortified to 20% strength was used as the soaking solution circa 1909, but Coca-Cola may have switched to a simple water/alcohol mixture.
- After soaking, discard the coca and kola and add the liquid to the syrup.
- Add 1 oz (28 g) lime juice (a former ingredient, evidently, that Coca-Cola now denies) or a substitute such as a water solution of citric acid and sodium citrate at lime-juice strength.
- Mix together
- Add to 1⁄4 oz (7 g) of 95% alcohol and shake.
- Add 1⁄10 oz (2.8 g) water to the oil mixture and let stand for twenty-four hours at about 60 °F (16 °C). A cloudy layer will separate.
- Take off the clear part of the liquid only and add the syrup.
- Add 7⁄10 oz (20 g) glycerine (from vegetable source, not hog fat, so the drink can be sold to Jews but not for Muslims who observe their respective religion's dietary restrictions) and 3⁄10 drachms (0.53 g) of vanilla extract.
- Add water (treated with chlorine) to make a gallon of syrup.
See also
References
- ^ a b Poundstone, William (1983), Big Secrets, William Morrow, ISBN 0-688-04830-7
- ^ Benson, Drew (19 April 2004), "Coca kick in drinks spurs export fears", The Washington Times "Coke dropped cocaine from its recipe around 1900, but the secret formula still calls for a cocaine-free coca extract produced at a Stepan Co. factory in Maywood, New Jersey. Stepan buys about 100 metric tons of dried Peruvian coca leaves each year, said Marco Castillo, spokesman for Peru's state-owned National Coca Co."
- ^ Rielly, Edward J. (7 August 2003), Baseball and American Culture: Across the Diamond, Haworth Press, ISBN 0-7890-1485-8
- ^ Langman, Jimmy (October 30, 2006), "Just Say Coca", Newsweek on MSNBC.com, http://www.newsweek.com/id/45077, retrieved 2007-05-05
- ^ Ceaser, Mike (1 February 2006), Colombian farmers launch Coke rivals, Nasa Indian territory, Colombia: BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4623350.stm, retrieved 2009-04-27
- ^ a b Pendergrast, Mark (2000), For God, Country and Coca-Cola (2nd ed.), Basic Books, ISBN 9780465054688
- ^ "John Reed & the Coke Formula". tn-roots.com. http://tn-roots.com/tndyer/family/reed.html. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ Terry, Sue (August 1, 2005), A Rich Deliciously Satisfying Collection of Breakfast Recipes, My Best Book Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1932586435
- ^ Merory, Joseph (1968). Food Flavorings: Composition, Manufacture and Use (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: AVI Publishing.
External links
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