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Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by ropeadopepope on Friday April 20, 2018 @09:01AM (#16884376)
Nobody knows. Coca Cola lists most ingredients, but the secret sauce is listed as "Natural Flavors". That's where all the heavy flavor science in conducted and not just in Coca Cola. Most engineered foods in the US have "Natural Flavors" listed. The FDA, in their infinite wisdom, has decided that any number of artificial and engineered compounds qualify an "Natural Flavors" and they don't have to be disclosed. Some people I've spoken to think this is a result of lobbying from the major food manufacturers who want to make their products more "addictive".

I love America and I think Europe is backwards in many, many ways. This isn't one of those ways. I wish we had European-style food purity laws. The only way to guarantee your food hasn't been messed with or "adulterated" or "enriched" in some way is to skip the stores entirely and buy straight from a local farmer.

Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by oceanghost on Friday April 20, 2018 @04:00PM (#16888044)
This is the bane of my existence. I am allergic to several extremely common ingredients/preservatives.

I can lead a regular if culinarily boring life if I simply avoid these ingredients. But anything can hide in this phrase "Natural Flavors."

The only way I can know if I am allergic to something is to try it, and even then there are threshold issues and changing ingredients. Just because something is made a certain way today, doesn't mean it will be tomorrow.

Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by Finch2193 on Friday April 20, 2018 @09:10AM (#16884437)
I'm curious: in what ways is Europe more 'backward' than the states?
Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by hood_syntax on Friday April 20, 2018 @09:18AM (#16884478)
Free speech is one example, through probably not for all european countries. See Germany's defamation laws as one example.
Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by ropeadopepope on Friday April 20, 2018 @09:27AM (#16884552)
OT. If you want to discuss it off-site, send me an email here: [email protected]
Re:Ask HN: What's actually in Coca Cola? by jamexcb on Friday April 20, 2018 @09:25AM (#16884529)
This is a temptation to repply... I will just relax and bring pop corn to watch! hehe