Free to follow every thread. No paywall, no dead ends.
Soft drink: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Soft drink
In 1767, an English scientist named Joseph Priestley made a discovery that would eventually reshape global consumption habits, though he never imagined the scale of its future impact. While working at a brewery in Leeds, England, Priestley suspended a bowl of distilled water above a vat of fermenting beer and observed that the water absorbed carbon dioxide gas, creating a liquid that bubbled and tasted distinctively sharp. He published his findings in 1772 under the title Impregnating Water with Fixed Air, describing how dripping oil of vitriol onto chalk produced the gas that dissolved into agitated water. This invention of carbonated water became the defining component of the modern soft drink industry, transforming a scientific curiosity into a commercial reality within a single decade. By 1783, Johann Jacob Schweppe had founded the Schweppes Company in Geneva to sell bottled versions of this new beverage, and by 1792, he had relocated his business to London, where it gained popularity among notable figures like Erasmus Darwin. The process of carbonation, which involves injecting carbon dioxide under high pressure to create effervescence, remains the core mechanism of soft drinks today, even as the ingredients and marketing strategies have evolved dramatically over the last two and a half centuries.
From Medicine To Mass Market
The transition of soft drinks from medicinal tonics to mass-market commodities began in the late 18th century when pharmacists began adding herbs and chemicals to unflavored mineral water to treat various ailments. Early formulations included birch bark, dandelion, sarsaparilla root, and fruit extracts, all sold under the guise of health remedies. By the 1840s, the industry had expanded rapidly in London, with over fifty manufacturers operating compared to just ten in the 1820s, and by 1851, Schweppes was designated the official drink supplier for the Great Exhibition, selling over a million bottles of lemonade, ginger beer, and soda water. The invention of the Codd-neck bottle in 1870 by Hiram Codd solved a persistent problem of bottle sealing, using a marble and rubber washer to keep carbonation intact and prevent explosions. This innovation allowed soft drinks to be transported and sold more effectively, leading to the rise of soda fountains in the United States, where businesses like those of John Matthews and John Lippincott began manufacturing fountains in the 1830s. The commercialization of these drinks was further accelerated by the 1892 patent for the Crown Cork Bottle Seal by William Painter, which successfully kept bubbles in the bottle, and the 1899 patent for an automatic glass-blowing machine that increased production from 1,400 bottles a day to 58,000 within a few years.
The Global Language Of Bubbles
Common questions
Who invented carbonated water and when was it published?
Joseph Priestley invented carbonated water in 1767 and published his findings in 1772 under the title Impregnating Water with Fixed Air. He observed that water absorbed carbon dioxide gas when suspended above fermenting beer at a brewery in Leeds, England. This discovery became the defining component of the modern soft drink industry.
When did Johann Jacob Schweppe found the Schweppes Company and where did he relocate?
Johann Jacob Schweppe founded the Schweppes Company in Geneva in 1783 to sell bottled versions of carbonated water. He relocated his business to London by 1792, where it gained popularity among notable figures like Erasmus Darwin. The company became the official drink supplier for the Great Exhibition in 1851.
What are the regional terms for soft drinks in the United States and Canada?
The 2003 Harvard Dialect Survey revealed that over half of respondents in the United States preferred the term soda, while 25% preferred pop, primarily in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. In English-speaking parts of Canada, pop was prevalent, but soft drink was the most common term in Montreal. Genericized trademark coke was used by 12% of respondents, mostly in the Southern United States.
What health risks are linked to the over-consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks?
Studies link the over-consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks to obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, and low nutrient levels. A 2007 study determined that some flavored sparkling waters were as erosive or more so than orange juice regarding tooth enamel. A 2006 study found that women who regularly drank cola-based sodas had significantly lower bone mineral density of about 4% in the hip.
When did the United States and United Kingdom implement bans on soft drinks in schools?
On the 3rd of May 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and major beverage companies announced guidelines to voluntarily remove high-calorie soft drinks from all U.S. schools. On the 19th of May 2006, the British education secretary, Alan Johnson, announced new minimum nutrition standards that would end the sale of carbonated drinks in school lunches and vending machines from September 2006. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated that schools receiving federal funding must offer healthy snacks and drinks to students.
Which countries have imposed taxes on soft drinks and what were the rates?
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain imposed a 50% tax on soft drinks and a 100% tax on energy drinks to curb excess consumption. In January 2013, a British lobby group called for the price of sugary fizzy drinks to be increased to fund a Children's Future Fund. In 2022, the Mexican state of Oaxaca enacted a ban on sugary drinks, including notably Coca-Cola, though it was poorly enforced.
While the term soft drink serves as a broad category in the beverage industry, the names used to describe these beverages vary wildly across the globe, reflecting deep regional and cultural differences. In the United States, the 2003 Harvard Dialect Survey revealed that over half of respondents preferred the term soda, which dominated the Northeastern United States, California, and areas around Milwaukee and St. Louis, while pop was preferred by 25% of respondents, primarily in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. The genericized trademark coke was used by 12% of respondents, mostly in the Southern United States, and the term tonic was distinctive to eastern Massachusetts, though its use was declining. In the English-speaking parts of Canada, pop was prevalent, but soft drink was the most common term in Montreal, whereas in the United Kingdom and Ireland, fizzy drink was common, with pop and fizzy pop used in Northern England, South Wales, and the Midlands. In Australia and New Zealand, soft drink or fizzy drink was typically used, while in South African English, cool drink referred to any soft drink. These linguistic variations highlight how a single product category can be perceived and named differently depending on local history and culture, with terms like limonada in Bohemian Czech and malinovka in Slovak used for all such beverages regardless of flavor.
The Sweetness Of Health And Disease
The over-consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks has become a major public health concern, with studies linking their consumption to obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, and low nutrient levels. From 1977 to 2002, Americans doubled their consumption of sweetened beverages, a trend that paralleled a doubling of the prevalence of obesity, and a 2013 systematic review found that 83.3% of systematic reviews without conflict of interest concluded that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption could be a potential risk factor for weight gain. The acidic nature of many soft drinks can erode tooth enamel, with a 2007 study determining that some flavored sparkling waters were as erosive or more so than orange juice, and a 2006 study found that women who regularly drank cola-based sodas had significantly lower bone mineral density of about 4% in the hip compared to women who did not consume colas. In 2006, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency found that four out of 150 tested products contained benzene levels above World Health Organization guidelines, and the United States Food and Drug Administration found that five tested drinks contained benzene levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended standard, though the FDA stated that the levels found did not pose a safety concern for consumers.
The Battle Over School Vending Machines
The debate over whether high-calorie soft drink vending machines should be allowed in schools gained momentum in the mid-2000s, with opponents arguing that soft drinks were a significant contributor to childhood obesity and tooth decay, and that allowing sales in schools encouraged children to believe they were safe to consume in moderate to large quantities. On the 3rd of May 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Cadbury Schweppes, the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association announced new guidelines to voluntarily remove high-calorie soft drinks from all U.S. schools, and on the 19th of May 2006, the British education secretary, Alan Johnson, announced new minimum nutrition standards that would end the sale of carbonated drinks in school lunches and vending machines from September 2006. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, signed by President Obama on the 13th of December 2010, mandated that schools receiving federal funding must offer healthy snacks and drinks to students, banning the selling of soft drinks and requiring schools to provide healthier options such as water, unflavored low-fat milk, 100% fruit and vegetable drinks, or sugar-free carbonated drinks. Despite these efforts, a 2015 study by Terry-McElarth and colleagues found that state bans were associated with significantly lower school soda availability but district bans showed no significant associations, and no significant correlation was observed between state policies and student consumption.
The Politics Of Sugar And Taxation
The soft drink industry has long held considerable political influence, with the food and drink industry contributing more than $50 million to legislators in Washington, DC since 2000, and attempts to tax soft drinks have faced significant opposition from industry lobbyists. In January 2013, a British lobby group called for the price of sugary fizzy drinks to be increased, with the money raised to be put towards a Children's Future Fund, and in 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain imposed a 50% tax on soft drinks and a 100% tax on energy drinks to curb excess consumption and generate additional revenue. In March 2013, New York City's mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed to ban the sale of non-diet soft drinks larger than 16 ounces, except in convenience stores and supermarkets, but a lawsuit against the ban was upheld by a state judge who voiced concerns that the ban was fraught with arbitrary and capricious consequences, and the state appellate courts upheld the trial court decision, leaving the ban unenforceable as of 2021. In 2022, the Mexican state of Oaxaca enacted a ban on sugary drinks, including notably Coca-Cola, but it was poorly enforced, highlighting the challenges of implementing such policies in the face of industry resistance and consumer habits.