Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is the trademarked name for a popular soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines around the world. It also known as Coke, which is also a trademarked term. Coca-Cola was registered as a trademark in 1893, and the distinctive bottle shape in 1960. Cans of Coke first appeared in 1955.

It was originaly sold as a [patent medicine]? at soda fountains for 5 cents a glass, which were popular in America due to a contemporary view that soda water was good for your health. The first sales were at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta?, on May 8th, 1886, and for the first eight months, only thirteen drinks per day were sold.

The drink is manufactured as a syrup and then supplied to various franchises that constitute, bottle and distribute it.

The ingredients are as follows: carbonated water; high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose; caramel color; phosphoric acid; natural flavors; caffeine; kola nuts; processed extract of coca? leaves. In the original formula, the natural cocaine? content of the coca leaves, and caffeine from kola nuts, provided the drink's stimulant effect. Shortly after the turn of the century cocaine was removed from the coca leaves by processing, and only the caffeine now remains.

Diet Coke contains aspartame, a synthetic phenylalanine?-containing sweetener, in order to reduce the sugar content and the amount of energy provided by the drink.

Coca-Cola's greatest rival is Pepsi-Cola.

Recommended book:

"For God, Country, and Coca Cola : The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It" by Mark Pendergrast [ISBN 0465054684 (amazon.com, search)]

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