Soft Drinks and Fruit Juice Analysis

Soft drinks and fruit juice analysis tests the safety of beverages provided on the market to ensure compliance with national and international food safety standards. Contaminants can enter the production process at any stage. Testing also establishes the safety of levels of additives introduced during processing and relevant nutritional information for food labelling purposes. Beverages are marketed as ‘soft’ drinks in contrast to alcoholic drinks. However, small traces of alcohol may be present due to naturally-occurring fermentation of fruit juices. Testing helps establish that levels of alcohol are below recommended limits (less than 0.5% of the total volume). Testing also determines harmful levels of chemical compounds such as benzene, which is a human carcinogen; and caffeine, which is linked to anxiety and sleep disruption when consumed to excess. Sugar levels must be measured and reported on, as these can be linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries and low nutrient levels in consumers. Other additives commonly found in soft drinks such as artificial sweeteners and sodium benzoate can be causes for concern and levels must be determined for public information. Soft drinks and fruit juice analysis is carried out by independent laboratories on behalf of the soft drink and fruit juice industries.