Nutrients in non-alcholic beverages in Nigeria

Food Chemistry 26 (1987) 11-21

Nutrients in Non-Alcoholic Beveragesin Nigeria

S. A. Ibiyemi, A. Abiodun, J. 0. Ewaba & S. A. Akanji Chemistry Department, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria (Received 17 September 1986; revised version accepted 19 December 1986)

ABSTRACT Forty-one samples of carbonated soft drinks in Nigeria have been shown, on analysis, to contain high sugar contents (mean value, 140%) despite the high cost of this ingredient; the Foodand Drug regulations allow 9%14%. There is a considerable divergence in the mean values of sugar for the four brands examined; 149%, 15~3!??0,12~4~% and 13.7% for the Cola, Fanta, clear drinks and fruit juice, respectively. Similar large deviations in mean values were recorded for other chemical constituents of the drinks. Ascorbic acid, for example, has an overall mean value of 122mg/IOOml whereas individual samples have mean values ranging from 363 to 7.25 mg/lOO ml. The ascorbic acid values for the fruit juice drinks,fall short of expectation in all cases.

INTRODUCTION Non-alcoholic drinks comprise mainly Cola, orange,clear drinks, including Club Soda, Sparkling Water, SevenUp, fruit juices and squashes.All these, except the last two and other specialisedsoft drinks, are sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks containing water (83-93%), sugar (7-17%), CO, (O-1-5gas volumes), colorants, e.g. Sunset Yellow, tartrazine; acids, e.g. phosphoric acid, particularly in Cola, tartaric, malic and citric acids, preservatives,e.g. benzoate, sulphur dioxide and sodium metabisulphite, vitamins, amino acids and electrolytes, and pH is adjusted to 2-5. Non-alcoholic beveragesmay be classified on the basis of sweetener 11 030%8146/87/$03.50 ‘0 Elsevier Applied SciencePublishers Ltd, England, 1987. Printed in Great Britain

Food

Chemistry

12

S. A. Ibiyemi, A. Abiodun,

J. 0. Ewaba, S. A. Akanji

employed. Sugar is a very popular and widely acceptedsweetener.Synthetic sweetenermixtures might include saccharin, which is 550 times as sweetas sucrose, cyclamates, which are 30 times as sweet as sucrose, sodium-5 ribonucleotide, chlorosucrose, amino malonic acid, etc. These sweeteners, when used to replace sucrose,may provide low caloric drinks. The standard specification approved for carbonated drinks in Nigeria is as follows: water (90%); sugar (g-14%); ash(about 0.017%);carbon dioxide (3.54.0 gas volume); pH 2-5. This specification excludes synthetic sweeteners and enquiries conducted suggest that the use of synthetic sweetenersis prohibited in soft drinks in Nigeria. The sugar content of soft drinks in Nigeria is rather high; these drinks therefore servethe purpose of increasing the caloric value of the diet. In this regard, therefore, soft drinks, when used as refreshment, also serve the function of supplementing and complicating the energy consumption of consumers. The soft drink industry has experiencedone of the highest growth rates, reaching about 250% within the last six years in Nigeria. There are over 60 brands of soft drinks in Nigeria today. The industry alone accountsfor more than 30% of national sugarconsumption. In view of the already unduly high carbohydrate intake in the Nigerian diet, the high rate of consumption of soft drinks and the possible human pathology associated with high sugar intake (e.g. cardiovascular disease, dental disorders, diabetes mellitus, obesity, enzymatic disorders,etc.) there is a needto monitor samplesof soft drinks on shelves in the market for their principal constituents and particularly their sugar level. This paper contains analyses of forty-one samples of soft drinks commonly consumed in Nigeria. MATERIALS

AND METHODS

At least ten bottles of eachtype of drink collected at random from shelvesin the markets of at least two towns in twelve states of the country were analysed. Each of the following analyseswas conducted according to the official analytical methods (AOAC, 1975). Sugar Total soluble solids (as sucrose) was determined by measurement of the refractive index by the standard Brix method and the spectrophotometricanthrone method was used for glucose.

Nutrients

in non-alcoholic

beverages in Nigeria

13

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) The ascorbic acid content was determined by the spectrophotometric-Folic Phenol Reagent. (Reo & Keuther, 1943; Sood et al., 1976). Citric acid The quantity of citric acid presentwas determined by the pentabromacetone gravimetric method (AOAC, 1975). Malic acid and tartaric acid Determination of these acids was carried out using the bitartrate method (AOAC, 1975). Ash The amount of ash content was determined by evaporating the sample to dryness and heating in a furnace at about 525”. Soluble and insoluble ash Percentagesof H,O-soluble and H,O-insoluble ash were determined by dissolving the ash sample in hot water, filtering through ashlesspaper and washing with hot water (AOAC, 1975). Alkalinity of soluble ash Alkalinity of soluble ash was determined by titrating the filtrate with 0.1~ HCI. Alkalinity of insoluble ash Alkalinity of insoluble ash was determined by adding excess0.1~ HCl to the sample; this was then boiled; the excessHCl was later titrated with 0-1~ NaOH solution. Total acidity The total acidity was determined using a titrimetric method.

14

S. A. Ibiyemi, A. Abiodun, J. 0. Ewaba, S. A. Akanji

Nitrogen Nitrogen was determined by the Kjeldahl method. The crude protein content was determined by multiplying the N value by the factor 6.25 (AOAC, 1975). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1 shows that the sugar contents of the forty-one samples of four brands-Fanta, Cola, clear drinks and fruit juices-of non-alcoholic carbonated drinks are slightly higher, on average,than what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, approvesfor non-alcoholic drinks in Nigeria. Ketiku (1973)and Adeneye & Raji (1986)had earlier analysed sevenand twenty-nine samples of drinks, respectively,and found higher sugar contents than approved by the FDA Department. Our analysis shows an overall mean value of 13.6% of total sugar,with a variation between 17.8% and 13.0%for the orangedrinks, 19.3 and 12.5% for Cola, 16.0 and 4.00% for the clear drinks including Club Soda, and 14.0% and 8.0% for the fruit juice drinks. The FDA Department, however, approves 9%-10% sugar for the Cola drinks, a maximum of 14% for the orange and a maximum of 0.5% for Club Soda and Sparkling Water carbonated drinks. Table 2 summarises the analytical divergences. Ketiku (1973),however, reported rather low sugar contents for some fruit juices (2.0g/lOOcl for lime; 6.Og/lOOcl for grapefruit; 9-2 g/lOOcl for orange).Noronha da Silevia’s (1982)analysis of canned fruit juices showeda much higher sugar content, varying between 14.0 and 21.8 Brix. Recent studies by Fang & Chang (1981)showed that the sugar content of juices depends on the fruit variety. It is no surprise, therefore, to find a wide divergence in the sugar content of drinks in the C and D brands. It is surprising, however, to find that Club Soda drinks, the C brand, contain as much as 16% sugar and on no occasion were any of thesebrands found to contain less than 5% sugar, whereasthesebrands of drink could be sugarfree altogether. Random taste panels on the sweetnessof the various drinks, particularly on the clear and fruit juice drinks, did not reflect the recorded differencesin their sugarcontents.The wide rangein the sugarcontent may be rationalised on the grounds that some other sweetenersmust have beenincluded in these drinks. The probability of using synthetic sweetenersmay be increasing in Nigeria especially with the 300%-500% increase in the newly-introduced foreign exchangerate through the Second Tier Foreign Exchange Market system. With this in view, it is now planned to monitor carbonated non-

Nutrients

in non-alcoholic

beverages in Nigeria

15

alcoholic bottled soft drinks for some common synthetic sweetenersafter one year of operation of the new foreign exchangerate. Van Tornout et al. (1985)and Barnett & Yarger (1985)have shown the effects of synthetic sweetenersused in various proportions together with sucrose and glucose to obtain the desired level of sweetness.Fructose, aminobenzoic acid, chlorosucrose, cyclamates and saccharin are well establishedsweetenersthat could have beenusedalthough only the first two sweetenersare allowed for inclusion in soft drinks in Nigeria. Vitamin C contents range from 0.036% to 0*008%, 0.018% to 0*002%, 0.015% to 0.013% and 0.014% to 0.009% for orange,Cola, clear drinks and fruit juices, respectively.Fresh fruit pulp or juice extracts of Chrysophyllum albidum, sweetorangeand mangoes,for example,contain, on average,about 0*90%, 0.45% and 0.10% ascorbic acid, respectively. The values for the drinks being investigated are rather low, particularly the bottled fruit juices. Fresh fruits are well known to be one of the natural sourcesof ascorbic acid. Vitamin C, however, is very sensitive to many conditions, including heat, storage and physical treatment. Soft drinks, even with low ascorbic acid contents, serve to supplement the body requirements of vitamin C. Soft drinks today are supplementedwith various agentsto improve their nutritive value. For example, amino acids, such as proline, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and their salts have become common additives introduced in desired and controlled quantities under special dispensation for specific purposes, e.g. as health drinks. Acidity in carbonated beveragesis most often provided by citric, tartaric, phosphoric and malic acids. Phosphoric acid is predominantly usedin Cola drinks while tartaric acid is used in grape or fruit juices. The low mean pH values of 3.75,3.39,4.04and 3.47for the orange,Cola, clear drinks and fruit juice, respectively,provided supporting evidencefor the inclusion of these acids within approved and tolerable limits. Of the four acids investigated, it is observedthat malic and citric acids were of higher value than tartaric and phosphoric acids. The clear drinks record the lowest acidity while the fruit drinks have the highest, most probably to buffer the solution to give the drinks a taste closest to the taste of natural juices and also serving as preservatives. The level of soluble ash follows no definite pattern even within the same brand of drinks. Ca2+ is highest in eachdrink; Na+, K+, Ca2 + have mean values of 3-83, 21-68 and 85-92ppm, respectively. The insoluble ash is a reflection of the level of other cations including Pb2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+ and Zn2’ present at 0.05, 10.1, 0.10, 2.24, 0.08 and 039ppm, respectively. Cd2+ was not observed in any detectable quantity. Soft drinks areknown to derive their minerals from the concentrate,sugar and water. Kechciak and Maslowska (1984)reported that sugar alone could

B? B3 84 B5 86 B7 88 B9 810 BII

Al A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 Al A8 A9 AI0 All BI

2.00 2.10 4.30 2.30 2.020 4.30 2.80 2.20 5.30 5-40 2.50 3% 4.30 3.50 5-50 6.50 3.80 4.30 I.50 8.80 8.00 RF50

13.0 15.1 17.3 153 I42 15.3

13.8 13.2 17.8 14.4 14.8 14.0 14.3 12.5 15.5 17.5 16.8 16.3 12.5 19.3 18.0 12.0

II-O 13.0 13-o 13.0 IF0 II.0

11.0 II.0 I25 9.0 I>3 II.0 I@0 90 IO.0 Il.0 13.0 12.0 II.0 II-O IO.0 9.5

(%I

su(.r.o.w

0.26 0.23 0.24 015 @I7 0.12 @15 0.14 0.26 0.19 @I5 0.21 @25 0.30 @22 0.12 0.07 0.24 008 022 0.30 0.20

094

0.18 0.13 0.19

0.13

0.14 094

0.18 0.19

0.13 0.08 0.08 0.11

0.06 0.08

To/d u&i/~ (%)-

Nutrients

Pm win (%)

Major

0.98 0.88 0.75 0.98 0.85 0.85 3.63 IGO I-IO I.08 I.05 I.23 I.50 I.84 0.73 I.08 I.43 I.83 140 0.83 I.14 I.02

A.wwhic acid (%)x IO 2

0.28 0.20 0.22 0.23 D20 WI

0.83 I.11 0.83 I.79 3.13 0.22 2.55 0.58 0.72 0.22 I.26 0.20 0.23 0.18

0.93 0.69

Citric acid (%)x /o-* 0.77 I.03 0.66 0.68 0.38 0.47 0.56 0.61 0.26 0.92 0.45 0.94 I.08 0.40 0.68 0.82 @40 0.96 0.42 0.68 0.45 0.34

Tartark acid (04) x lo- 1

TABLE 1 in Some Nigerian Non-alcoholic

5.15 5.03 5.15 9.81 5.03 6.63 12.6 8.38 8.58 7.54 5.22 344 3.33 4.02 5.03 5.88 6.16 12.56 7.95 7.96 5.86 503

Malic ucid (?/a) x lo-’

Beverages

-

8.78 %77 7.59 6.44 6.88 5.24 3.63 2.82

%70 IO.47 9.69 I@03 983 F79 6.20 7.47 &50 8.47

IO.21 3.22

5.70 3.89

DV ma,tw (%)

1.27 0.69 4.64 094 3.36 4.81 3.61 4.56 3.89 3.04 0.88 2.76 3.67 3.43 3.94 3.76 4.31 3.58 3.86 2.45 0.29 0.90

Ash W)

1.66 2.28 0.55 0.48 0.25 040 0.46 0.48 I.39 0.76 1.05 0.52 2.02 0.48 0.05 0.30

0.02 I.70 I.12

0.35 034 0.51

2.95 2.55 2.99 3-27 3.06 I.84 I.92 0.34 2.28

B 5:

3.21

?

?

"5 4

&

a b

a b ?I 0.92 035 4.13 0.03 I66 3.69 1.95 2.08 3.34 2.57 2.30 2.16

ash w

IF3 2.47

II.3 4-38

lo-7 0.36

7.44 l-00

101 0.71

4.66 0.62

3.88 0.47

3.51 I.04

SE*

SE+ I) Meall

SE_+ C MeatI

13.7 414

14.1 I.24

12.7 0.36

3.22 0.22

4.0 11.5 9.5 16.0 95 IS.8 Il.8 13.9 14.0 140 13.5 Il.5 20.3 8.0 14.8 13.8 13.6 0.28

Meall

SE* B MeWI

SE* A

0.0

800 8.00 Il.0 0.0 10.0 10.0 1 I.0 9.0 9.0 12.0 9.0 12.0 7.0 12.0 IO.0 101 0.34

4.00 3.50 150 5430 550 5.75 I.75 2.90 590 4.75 150 2.50 8.25 190 %75 3% 3.85 0.22

Cl c2 c3 c4 cs C6 c7 C8 c9 DI D2 03 D4 DS D6 DJ MCdll

0~002 OGQI

oaos oGO2

oQO2

WOIS

04xls OaOl

0.13 0.13 0.59 0.05

0.31 0.75

0.63 0.25 -~

I .06 0.19

0.19 1.69 -

@22 O-05

0.12 0.06

0.20 0.02

019 0.01

@02 0.1 1 0.31 0.02 0.13 0.16 0.12 0.57 0.12 0.17 0.33 0.13 0.14 0.13 0.45 0.22 0.19 0.01

I.13 0.06

1.33 0.04

I.17 0.10

1.20 0.25

I.25 l-43 I.80 1.29 I.25 1.34 I.43 I.10 1.33 I.23 0.88 IQ0 l-38 1.34 1.13 0.95 1.22 @IS

0.63 &II

0.83 @37

@31 0.10

I.22 0.27

4.27 0.23 1.03 0.16 0.10 0.43 0.40 0.48 0.38 0.51 0.53 0.57 0.16 0.40 1.19 0.46 0.74 0.11

0.58 0.01

0.53 0.07

0.65 0.07

0.62 0.07

0.82 0.35 0.40 0.40 0.94 0.63 0.31 0.45 0.49 0.63 061 0.38 0.13 0.47 0.87 0.39 O+Ll 0.02

oTlO7 Oal

0.006 oal1

OGO6 OGOI

0~007 om1

2.84 3.38 424 4.50 5.03 529 7.85 5.60 12.14 7.22 7.66 4.74 654 II+ 6.07 588 6.50 0.26

4.84 0.67

5.23 0.40

6.78 0.54

7.61 0.66

2.71 5.58 5.87 5.94 489 6.31 5.78 407 590 6.24 6.68 1.98 6.52 531 4~29 2.88 6.30 0.22

2.88 061

2.27 0.38

3.01 0.39

2.78 0.43

0.30 2.53 3.27 2.19 258 3.35 0.15 3.25 2.64 3.10 3.79 1.22 5.3 1 2.19 3.41 1.os 2.77 0.14

0.95 022

0.72 0.13

0.74 0.18

0.84 0.20

0.69 0.95 la0 0.05 0.93 0.72 I.21 0.85 1.26 I.42 0.23 1.77 0.70 0.9 1 0.35 0.80 0.06

0.05

1.98 0.36

0.25

I.68

2.42 0.27

2.09 .0,37

0.11

3.54 I.49 2clo I.12 2.07

025 I.84 2.32 2.26 0.10 2.60 I.86 2.09 I ,79 I.84 2.37 la0

2. a

2 ‘$

B B ;J 2 ro 3’

6Q % B r5

g 3

2 3’

,” P K’

3-83

3.51

3-88

4.66

3.22

Al0 5.40 B9 8.80 C6 5.75 D4 x-25

-~

Al 2.00 B8 1.50 c3 I .50 D5 I.00

Low3 I wlur

14-O

137

12.4

15.3

14.9

MWtl wlue

Summary

A9 17.8 B6 193 c4 16.0 D4 2.1 0

Showing

Al 13.0 83 12-O Cl 403 D5 8.00 1.22

I-13

l-33

1.17

1.22

A9 I.10 07 I.83 c3. 7 1.43 D4 I .38

TABLE Z(a) Divergence in Nutrients

A3 0.88 84 0.73 C8 I.30 D2 0.88

0.74

0.64

0.83

0.43

l-21

Al 3.13 82 1.26 Cl 4.27 D6 I.19

Higksr aalur

Cilric acid (%)x 10-2

in Each Brand of Drink

Al0 0.58 BS 0.18 c5 0.10 D5 0.40

0.60

0.63

053

0.73

0.63

MtWl aulue ~___

A2 I.03 02 1.08 c5 0.94 D6 0.87

Highesr I!UlW

Turturic arid (X)x lo-’

A9 @38 Bll 0.34 c7 031 D3 0.38

~.__ LOWt-Sl value

7-13

650

Series

5-74

6, I 3

7.21

OVed IllEi”

D

SerieS

A Serm B Series c

A6 12.0 Bl 12.6 C9 12.1 D5 I I.5

A5 5.03 B2 3.33 Cl 2.84 D3 4.74 630

4.84

5.23

678

7.61

Showing

A3 IO.2 84 8.78 C6 6.3 1 D2 6.68

Dry mn,,er (%)

Summary

A4 3.22 Bl I 2.82 C8 4.07 D3 1.98 040

0.95

072

0.74

0.84

A8 2.28 88 2.02 C8 1.21 D4 1.77

A4 0.02 BIO 0.05 C5 0.05 D3 0.23 2.07

1.98

I.28

2.42

2.09

MtWn value A3 4.13 86 3.27 C6 2.60 D4 3.54

Highest u&e

Lowest L&e

Hlghesr value

W)

Ash (insoluble) W)

in Each Brand of Drink

Ash (soluble)

TABLE 2(b) Divergence in Nutrients

A4 0.03 BIO 0.34 C5 0.10 D3 la0

LOWS1 vnluc

3.66

3.47

404

3.39

3.75

MtWll oalue

A8, 9 4.20 BI 4.00 C5 5.30 D4 3.85

Highest value

PH

A2 3.00 B9 3xKl c4 360 D5 2.80

LOWSI value

20

S. A. Ibiyemi, A. Abiodun, J. 0. Ewaba, S. A. Akanji

account for as much as 3*0mg/dm3 of Fe2+ and 9.84% and 0.98% of the total Zn2 ’ and Cu2 +, respectively.Orange concentrate contains as much as 2.9% Fe*+ and 0.80% Cu2+. Kechciak (1984),in another report, showed that the levels of Fe2+, Mn2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Co’+ were higher in carbonated beverages than in tap water used for their production. Electrolytes in soft drinks may not necessarily be expected to maintain a particular value but efforts should be made to guaranteethe content of these within accepted safe levels. Considering the high rate of consumption of soft drinks, and already high caloric local diet, it is important that the sugar content of soft drinks in Nigeria, or any tropical countries where the diet is of high calorific value, should be reduced.We wish, therefore, to recommend that there should be three types of soft drink in the tropical underdevelopedcountries. One type, health drinks, should contain about 4% sugar but this should be fortified with amino acids, vitamins and electrolytes,and should be usedespeciallyby convalescents;a second type intended for athletes should contain up to 8% sugar and be fortified with electrolytes,amino acids and vitamins. The third type, to serveas refreshment and for entertainment, should contain lessthan 4.0% sugar with only a minimum quantity of amino acids.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS S. A. Ibiyemi is grateful to the University of Ilorin for the provision of a Senate ResearchGrant. The technical assistanceof Messrs S. A. Durojola and J. Olota is also acknowledged.

REFERENCES Adeneye,A. 0. & Raji, P. (1986).Unpublishedpaperpresentedat a symposiumby ChemicalSocietyof Nigeria, University of Ibadan,Ibadan, 1986. AOAC (1975).Oficial methods of analysis (12th edn), Association of Official Analytical Chemists,Washington,DC. Barnett,R. E. & Yarger, R. G. (1985).Eur. Pat. Appl., EP 131,640. Fang, T. & Chang,K. (1981).Li Taiwan Ta Hsuen Paokao, 2(l), 62-9. Fuller,C. W. (1977).Electrothermal atomizationfor atomic absorption spectrometrJ1. Analytical sciences monographs, The ChemicalSociety,London, 1188. Ketiku, A. 0. (1973).J. Sci. Food Agric., 24, 703. Ketiku, A. 0. (1975).Food Chem., 1, 41. Kechciak,I. (1984).Przem. Fermen O~OCOMY- Warzywny, 28(5), 29-3 1. Kechciak, 1. & Maslowska, J. (1984). (Lodq Pol.) Przem. Fermen. Owoco~~oWarzywny,

28(e), 23-4.

Nutrients in non-alcoholic beveragesin Nigeria

21

Noronha da Silevia (1982). M.Z.O.C.B. Bromatol, 1981, 33(l), 91-110. Pearson, D., Chemical analysis offood (7th edn) (Chapter 2), Churchill Livingstone, 9. Reo, J. N. & Keuther, C. A. (1943). J. Biol. Chem., 147, 399407. Sood, S. P., Sartori, L. E., Wittmer, D. P. & Haney, W. G. (1976). Analyt. Chem., 48, 796-8. Van Tornout, P., Pelgroms, J. & Vander Meeren, J. (1985). J. Food&i., 50(2), 469-72.