31–38 of 38 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then when it comes back with 4000 molecules as a result, figuring out which 2 spices are responsible for 3993 of those.
A lab specializing in analyzing food will be able to help with that too. Usually only a few aromatics will make up the bulk of the flavor and they’re well known molecules, especially if they’re synthetic.
> 果汁（ぶどう、レモン）、糖類（果糖、砂糖）、食塩、レモンエキス、シークワーサーエキス、うんしゅうみかんエキス、ゆずピール、ドライトマトエキス／香料、乳酸、塩化Ｋ、酸化防止剤（ビタミンＣ）
TL:
> Fruit juice(grape, lemon), sugars(fructose, sugar), table salt, lemon extract, C. depressa extract, C. unshiu extract, yuzu peel, dry tomato extract/flavoring, lactic acid, potassium chloride, antioxidant(vitamin C)
it's not always this detailed for Japanese beverages tbc - e.g. for that reportedly horrendous liquefied frisk[2]:
> GABA（国内製造）／炭酸、酸味料、香料、甘味料（アセスルファムＫ、スクラロース）
TL:
> GABA(domestic sourced)/carbonic acid, acidulant, flavoring, sweetener(acesulfame potassium, sucralose)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A lab specializing in analyzing food will be able to help with that too. Usually only a few aromatics will make up the bulk of the flavor and they’re well known molecules, especially if they’re synthetic.
Does this mean all "secret" recipes have been useless IP protection for a long time?
Most soda is sugar water with a few well known synthetic flavors added so it’s easy to identify. Secret recipes like Coca Cola are far more complex to make without easy synthetic alternatives. Any recipe that caramelizes sugar, for example, is hard to reverse engineer.
I'd start by buying a few. Open one and let it decarbonate. It's must easier to discern flavors for uncarbonated drinks. As an example, Coca-cola has cinnamon in it, which is almost impossible to taste when it's carbonated. It pops out when Coke goes flat. Most sodas will have a citrus component. Japan has odd ones like Yuzu, so try to pick up some essential citrus oils that aren't normal in your home country and are…
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Does this mean all "secret" recipes have been useless IP protection for a long time?
No, a mass spec can only give you a list of molecules, like a list of ingredients but after they’ve been cooked. It can’t give you the raw ingredients or the recipe. Most soda is sugar water with a few well known synthetic flavors added so it’s easy to identify. Secret recipes like Coca Cola are far more complex to make without easy synthetic alternatives. Any recipe that caramelizes sugar, for example, is hard to re…
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Often they aren’t. The obvious one is sugar vs HFCS in Mexican vs American Coke. Then, of course, there’s the big change from the original Coke recipe vs what we have today with cocaine being replaced by caffeine.¹ ⸻ 1. I’m pretty sure that in no country does Coke still use cocaine.
Regarding Coca-Cola and cocaine: you’re probably right about the psychoactive chemical cocaine, but Coca-Cola does actually still use a trace amount of coca leaf extract in Coca-Cola in (at least) the US. How does this work legally? There is a (single) company that is licensed by the DEA to import coca, and they sell the non-psychoactive part to Coca-Cola. I think the psychoactive part goes toward DEA-approved resear…
I'd start by buying a few. Open one and let it decarbonate. It's must easier to discern flavors for uncarbonated drinks. As an example, Coca-cola has cinnamon in it, which is almost impossible to taste when it's carbonated. It pops out when Coke goes flat. Most sodas will have a citrus component. Japan has odd ones like Yuzu, so try to pick up some essential citrus oils that aren't normal in your home country and are…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Regarding Coca-Cola and cocaine: you’re probably right about the psychoactive chemical cocaine, but Coca-Cola does actually still use a trace amount of coca leaf extract in Coca-Cola in (at least) the US. How does this work legally? There is a (single) company that is licensed by the DEA to import coca, and they sell the non-psychoactive part to Coca-Cola. I think the psychoactive part goes toward DEA-approved resear…
I heard about this years ago, but it seems very strange what you can get away with as a massive megacorp! When I was in Peru everyone chewed Coca leaves on the backpacker scene, and many of the locals, but no one ever offered me cocaine.