STATISTICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF SOFTDRINKSAND THEIR IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH
Keywords:
Benzoic acid; TSS; pH; reducing sugar and Antimicrobial assay.Abstract
The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate soft drinks on various parameters viz. physicochemical
and microbial parameter in order to assess the safety of these drinks. Four drinks namely Pepsi, sprite, limcaand Gatorade were used in the study. The total soluble solids were present in the range of 7.34 to 12.35˚Brix.
The concentration of citric acid in the samples was between 0.136 to 0.38%. Reducing sugars was alsoestimated in the soft drink samples. The pH of the samples was towards the acidic side (2.62 to 3.31). Benzoicacid was only found in sprite and limca. The concentration of benzoic acid was lying as per the standardlimit
fixed by the European Union. Samples were investigated for the presence of the microbial load. Theantimicrobial assay was also performed against probiotic species to study the effect of soft drinks ongut
microflora.