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food / travel

Coca Cola's Secret Ingredient? Alcohol

Worldcrunch

60 MILLIONS DE CONSOMMATEURS, LE MONDE, LE PROGRES (France)

PARIS – Ever wondered what's the secret ingredient that makes sodas taste so delicious? Sugar, sweeteners, additives, caffeine…. alcohol?

Yes, you read it: alcohol. French magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs, the French equivalent of Consumer Reports, compiled a list of ingredients found in 19 of our favorite sodas. Though they weren't able to obtain Coca-Cola or Pepsi Co's secret recipe, they analyzed the composition of the drinks in a laboratory.

The results were quite revealing. They discovered plants and spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as citrus fruits. Some of the organic compounds used to create aromas, such as terpenes, are highly allergenic – something that isn't disclosed on the sodas. And, yes, small traces of alcohol.

60 Millions also reveals the presence of other "controversial" ingredients such as phosphoric acid or ammonia-sulfite caramel E150D food coloring, which California had listed as carcinogenic. Following California's announcement, Coca-Cola and Pepsi changed their recipe in the United States but aren't planning to do so in Europe.

Le Progrès reports that 10 out of 19 sodas tested by the magazine contained alcohol, including Coke and Pepsi. According to French law, a beverage is considered to be alcoholic with more than 1,2 percent alcohol. Sodas have around 0,001 percent.

But worse than alcohol, says Le Monde, is the amount of sugar found in sodas: 18 sugar cubes per liter for Coca-Cola, 17 for Pepsi. This translates to about six sugar cubes per can. And if you prefer the "light" versions, be wary of the sweeteners used, some of which are suspected to be highly toxic.

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The Weight Of Trump's Indictment Will Test The Strength Of American Democracy

The U.S. legal system cannot simply run its course in a vacuum. Presidential politics, and democracy itself, are at stake in the coming weeks and months.

The Weight Of Trump's Indictment Will Test The Strength Of American Democracy

File photo of former U.S. President Donald Trump in Clyde, Ohio, in 2020.

Emma Shortis*

-Analysis-

Events often seem inevitable in hindsight. The indictment of former U.S. President Donald Trump on criminal charges has been a possibility since the start of his presidency – arguably, since close to the beginning of his career in New York real estate.

But until now, the potential consequences of such a cataclysmic development in American politics have been purely theoretical.

Today, after much build-up in the media, The New York Times reported that a Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Trump and the Manhattan district attorney will now likely attempt to negotiate Trump’s surrender.

The indictment stems from a criminal investigation by the district attorney’s office into “hush money” payments made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels (through Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen), and whether they contravened electoral laws.

Trump also faces a swathe of other criminal investigations and civil suits, some of which may also result in state or federal charges. As he pursues another run for the presidency, Trump could simultaneously be dealing with multiple criminal cases and all the court appearances and frenzied media attention that will come with that.

These investigations and possible charges won’t prevent Trump from running or even serving as president again (though, as with everything in the U.S. legal system, it’s complicated).

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