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An electroanalytical method based on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with non-toxic carbonaceous nanodots is proposed as a reliable and effective device for codeine determination in biological fluids and soft drinks. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and carbon nanodots (CNDs) were evaluated as electrode modifiers for the determination of the drug. The electroactive areas of the modified electrodes were assessed by cyclic voltammetry using potassium ferricyanide. Results demonstrated that GQDs provided the best analytical response for codeine, displaying an intense and well-defined anodic wave approximately 0.9 V vs reference electrode. The method exhibits an acceptable linear dynamic range, low limits of detection and quantification (0.21 and 0.73 µM, respectively), and satisfactory precision (below 3.9% expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD)) in saliva. Only the analysis of biofluids requires a simple extraction protocol. The feasibility and applicability of this novel approach were assessed by determining codeine in different matrices, with recoveries ranging from 69 to 112%. This cost-effective, simple, easily miniaturised and portable method was applied not only to biofluids but also for the direct detection of codeine in soft drinks combined with a codeine-enriched syrup, a medication that is being used to adulterate beverages, particularly at specific events (drinking and nightclub parties). There is no need for any sample treatment, demonstrating its versatility in analysing beverages for potential adulteration as well., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

To enhance the effects of some functional soft drinks, drugs, especially metronidazole (MNZ) and ibuprofen (IBF), are often illegally added. This poses a serious threat to the health of consumers. Therefore, developing simple and rapid detection methods for these additives is crucial. In this study, DNA aptamers of metronidazole and ibuprofen were selected using the library-immobilized method. The best aptamer for metronidazole, named MNZ-1, has a dissociation constant ( K d ) value of 4.9 μM and the aptamer for ibuprofen, named IBF-1, shows a K d of 9.3 μM, as determined by the thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay. The K d values measured using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) were 17.0 μM and 66.7 μM for these two aptamers, respectively. Selectivity experiments indicate that MNZ-1 demonstrates very weak binding to structurally similar drugs, whereas IBF-1 exhibits binding capability to some structurally similar compounds comparable to ibuprofen, enabling the simultaneous detection of these types of drugs. Neither MNZ-1 nor IBF-1 binds to other common drugs. Using ThT, a label-free fluorescent detection method was developed for metronidazole and ibuprofen in soft drinks, showing limits of detection (LODs) of 0.6 μM and 4.7 μM, respectively. Owing to their small size and well-defined secondary structures, these aptamers are expected to be utilized in analytical applications for food and environmental monitoring.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, is commonly used in food containers and packaging. Recently, alternatives such as bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol B (BPB), and bisphenol E (BPE) have been introduced to replace BPA. However, these substitutes have been reported to exhibit toxicity levels similar to BPA. In this study, we developed and validated a method for the analysis of trace bisphenols (BPA, BPAF, BPB, and BPE) in food using immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up. The method demonstrated satisfactory accuracy and precision. We applied this validated method to analyze 56 carbonated beverage samples and 30 canned tuna samples. In the carbonated beverages, average concentrations of BPA and BPAF were 0.4 and 0.2 μg kg -1 , respectively. In canned tuna, BPA and BPAF were found at average concentrations of 22.2 and 0.7 μg kg -1 , respectively, while BPB and BPE were not detected in any samples. Estimated exposure levels ranged from 0.13 to 0.18 ng kg bw -1  day -1 in the general population and from 205.2 to 232.0 ng kg bw -1  day -1 among consumers. The commercial IAC-based analytical method used in this study can contribute to the safety management of BPA, BPAF, BPB, and BPE.

The strategy for controlling the existence of radionuclides in drinking water depends upon an individual dose criterion (IDC) of 0.1 mSv/y, which represents a very low level of risk that is not expected to cause any identified adverse health effects. Radon gas, considered a carcinogenic radionuclide, can dissolve and accumulate in drinking water. Non-alcoholic carbonated beverages (NACBs), which mainly contain drinking water, phosphoric acid, citric acid, caffeine, and sugar, represent one of the most consumed groups worldwide and in Türkiye. In this study, the radon activity concentration and some physicochemical characteristics of 45 NACB samples from 24 most preferred commercial brands in Türkiye were determined to assess the radiological health risk associated with the ingestion of these samples. Radon activity concentrations measured in NACB samples using the AlphaGUARD radon analyzer ranged from 22.8 ± 0.7 to 54.9 ± 1.7 mBq/L. The pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and brix values in NACB samples ranged from 2.31 to 7.29, 401 to 3281 μSv/cm, 355 to 2453 mg/L, and 0.10 to 12.95%, respectively. Total (ingestion and inhalation) annual effective doses and the corresponding excess lifetime cancer risks estimated for adults to assess the radiological health risk are significantly below the IDC and advised safety limit (10 -3 ), respectively.

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in drinks and many foods. International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2B). In this study, a sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method was developed to detect aspartame. The method is based on switching on the fluorescence activity of aspartame upon its condensation with O-phthalaldehyde (Roth's reaction) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The reaction product was detected fluorometrically at λ em of 438 nm after λ ex of 340 nm. All reaction conditions required to yield the optimal fluorescence intensity were observed and investigated. Furthermore, the approach was validated according to ICH guidelines. Upon plotting the concentrations of aspartame against their associated fluorescence intensity values, the relationship between the two variables was linear within the range of 0.5-3.0 μg/mL. Furthermore, the method was employed to analyze the quantity of aspartame in commercial packages and soft drinks with an acceptable level of recovery. In addition, the Green Solvents Selecting Tool, Complementary Green Analytical Procedure Index, and the Analytical Greenness Metric tool were used to evaluate the sustainability and the greenness of the developed methodology., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Elevated levels of trace metals (TMs) and heavy/non-essential metals (HnMs) in commonly consumed beverages concern the public and regulatory agencies. Thus, frequent monitoring of these metals is critically important. The present study intended to assess TMs and HnMs concentrations and associated health risks in beverages. Ten metals, such as Mn, Co, Cr, Cu, and Zn (TMs) and Ni, Cd, Pb, Al, and As (HnMs), were quantified in different beverage brands categorized into two groups such as non-carbonated and carbonated beverages. Chemometric analysis such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC), and principal component analysis (PCA) were also performed to demonstrate the possible natural and anthropogenic sources of metal contamination. Among the TMs, the mean concentration of Zn (233.3 ± 3.3-291.7 ± 3.2 µg/L) followed by Mn (119.0 ± 2.3-146.4 ± 2.2 µg/L) was found highest in both carbonated and non-carbonated beverage samples. In the case of HnMs, the lowest mean concentration of Cd (7.4 ± 0.9-18.6 ± 1.2 µg/L) followed by Pb (4.1 ± 0.4-4.5 ± 0.4 µg/L) was observed in both types of beverage samples. The tolerable dietary intake (TDI) value for Ni and provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) value for Cd were higher than the value established by the WHO and EFSA. The computed values of the hazard index (HI < 1) and the cumulative cancer risk (CCR) indicated a low risk of exposure., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A new fluorescent sensor for the determination of lemon yellow was developed based on nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs), which were prepared via a hydrothermal method with dried pomelo peel and L-tyrosine. The N-CQDs exhibited the blue fluorescence with a quantum yield of 28 %. The sensing principle of N-CQDs was quenched by lemon yellow via static quenching. The potential interfering substances showed no influence on the detection of lemon yellow. The limit of detection was 0.023 mg/L and lower than that of national standard. Furthermore, the synthesized N-CQDs have been successfully applied to the measurement of lemon yellow in real samples. Hence, the N-CQDs would be a promising sensor in food analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High fluoride exposures can lead to adverse effects such as dental and bone fluorosis, as well as endocrine and cognitive developmental problems. Water is the main dietary source of this ion, although significant concentrations have also been detected in other beverages widely consumed by the population such as soft drinks. A total of 200 soft drink samples (60 flavoured, 70 extracts, 60 fruit juice and 10 soft drinks) were analysed by fluoride ion selective potentiometry. A consumption of 330 mL was estimated for exposure assessment and subsequent F-risk assessment by soft drink consumption. The highest average concentration was found in extract soft drinks (2.45 ± 1.15 mg/L), followed by flavoured (1.71 ± 2.29 mg/L) and carbonated soft drinks (1.38 ± 0.40 mg/L), while the lowest was found in fruit juice soft drinks (1.09 ± 0.62 mg/L). The flavours with the highest concentration were tea-melon and tea-passion fruit with 3.66 ± 0.40 and 3.17 ± 0.56 mg/L respectively and the lowest was lemon flavour with 0.69 mg/L. The contribution of these beverages, considering the UL (Upper level) reference values set by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) are between 3.28-41.78%, depending on age group and sex., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

One of the main public health issues that has recently been observed in a greater number of children is being overweight. The cause certainly lies in the decreasing physical activity of children, but mostly in their eating habits. Soft drinks are recognized as the most significant contributor to body overweight due to high sugar content; thus, as a result of numerous campaigns, part of the sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners (ASs). Despite their advantage due to their low caloric value, WHO recommends that they should not be used to achieve weight control or as prevention for reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, as there is no evidence of their effectiveness. Apart from beverages, artificial sweetener combinations are also added to a variety of "low fat" and "high protein" food products, which are highly favored especially among the young population. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the cumulative intake. The conducted study included a survey of 323 parents of children aged 1-14 years, as well as an analysis of the AS content in the products most often consumed by the respondents. The results of the survey show that a large part of children (40%) aged 3-14 often consume soft drinks. Different products (soft drinks, juices/nectars, syrups) were sampled based on the respondents' responses, and an analysis showed that 54% of them contained one or more ASs. In addition, the survey indicated parents' lack of information about the presence of AS in products, as 51% of parents declared that they do not read the declarations of the products they buy. It is necessary to persist in consumer education and changes in dietary preferences and habits, especially among children.

In this work, a novel magnetic covalent organic framework (COF (TpPa-NH 2 ) @ Fe 3 O 4 ) was prepared via two step by simple solvent method for the extraction of anionic azo dye residues in food. The as-prepared COF (TpPa-NH 2 ) @ Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite was characterised by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometer. Before high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) determination, it was used as magnetic adsorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) to extract and pre-concentrate three anionic azo dyes in carbonated beverage samples. The several key extraction and desorption parameters affecting the extraction recovery rate were investigated, including extraction time, pH of the solution, amount of material, adsorption time, elution solvent, pH of elution solvent, type of elution solvent, elution volume and elution time. Under optimised conditions, this method has good linearity between 5 and 500 μg L -1 (correlation coefficient > 0.9986). The limit of detection was 2.3-3.4 μg L -1 . The recoveries of the samples were between 87.5 and 96.9%, and the relative standard deviation lower than 4.6%. The developed method has broad application prospects for the analysis of anionic azo dyes in carbonated beverages., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry 2024.)

An important component of the programs to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other chronic noncommunicable diseases is limiting the intake of added sugars. Information about the composition of the product and its nutritional value contained in the labeling contributes to the informed choice of consumers when forming a diet. On July 1, 2023, new provisions of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation came into force, providing for the imposition of an excise tax on "sugar-containing drinks" - soft drinks made with added sugar and containing carbohydrates in quantities of more than 5 g/100 ml. The stated goal of the new excise regulation is to reduce sugar consumption by the population. Currently, information on the carbohydrate content in soft drinks is provided by manufacturers based on calculated values according to the recipe, which makes it possible to take into account as much as possible all the carbohydrate components of the product. There is no standardized method for analytically assessing the carbohydrate content of soft drinks (including "sugar-sweetened beverages" for excise tax purposes). The purpose of the work was the comparative analysis of existing analytical methods for determining the content of sugars and carbohydrates in general in foods, including beverages; and determination of the most correct analytical approach to assessing the content of carbohydrates in soft drinks. Material and methods . The existing methods for determining sugars and carbohydrates in foods, including beverages, have been analyzed. The objects of research were samples of model aqueous solutions with different sugar concentrations (30 samples) and 17 samples of industrially produced soft drinks (including tonic and tonic energy drinks) made using sugar or sugars (glucose-fructose syrup), sweeteners, and a mixture of sugar and sweeteners. The total content of sugars/carbohydrates in beverages was determined: in accordance with MU 10-05031531-372-93 as the difference between the total dry matter content and the dry matter from acids; by the Bertrand method; by the Bertrand-Schorl method. The obtained values were compared with the calculated data specified in the labeling of consumer packaging of the products. Results . The determination of sugars in model solutions showed sufficient accuracy of the Bertrand-Schorl method: deviations of the obtained values from the amount of sugars added to the model solution were observed only at their high concentration (over 10 g/100 ml) and amounted to ±0.1 g/100 ml. The carbohydrate content in industrial soft drinks estimated by various methods differed slightly from that indicated in the labeling (obtained by calculation). The differences were at the level from - 0.2 to +0.4 g/100 ml when using the method from MU 10-05031531-372-93, at the level from -2.6 to +0.8 g/100 ml when using the Bertrand method and at the level from -2.7 to +0.1 g/100 ml when using the Bertrand-Schorl method. The greatest differences were observed for tonic drinks (including energy drinks) - from -2.7 to +0.3 g /100 ml, depending on the method. Conclusion . The research data showed that the Bertrand-Schorl method can be used as a basis for developing a state standard for determining the total sugar content in soft drinks and for assessing their carbohydrate content in general. At the same time, the method needs to be refined for tonic drinks. At present, the most acceptable method is to assess the carbohydrate content using the analytical method given in MU 10-05031531-372-93, but it should be taken into account that deviations from the carbohydrate content values determined by this method from the values obtained by calculation can be up to +10%. At the same time, the calculation method for determining the carbohydrate content in drinks remains a priority, including for the purposes of excise regulation., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright© GEOTAR-Media Publishing Group.)

Photolytic transformation of aspartame - a widely used artificial sweetener - under the simulated sunlight was studied for the first time. The experiments were conducted in pH range of 2.5 - 7.0 and in eight soft drinks available in the market. The highest degradation rate in the tested buffered solutions was observed under the neutral pH conditions. Irradiation of the soft drinks resulted in significantly (up to tenfold) faster degradation of aspartame, regardless of its initial concentration in the beverage. Such considerable acceleration of decomposition, not reported for aspartame so far, was ascribed to influence of the co-occurring ingredients, which can act as the photosensitizers. These findings indicate that some formulations may be particularly unfavorable in the context of aspartame photostability. Qualitative analysis of the studied processes revealed formation of six phototransformation products including three previously not described. In silico estimation of toxicity showed that some of the identified photoproducts, including the novel phenolic derivatives, may be more harmful than the parent compound. Taking into account relatively extensive formation of those products in the soft drinks, such finding may be particularly important from the food safety point of view., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the acidity and fluoride content of beverages commonly consumed by millennials and the enamel-softening effect of these drinks on tooth enamel. The study included 13 beverages in 4 categories: energy (sports) drink, flavored sparkling water, kombucha, and other (an unsweetened iced tea, a vegetable-fruit juice blend, and a soft drink). The acidity was measured with a pH/ion meter, and the fluoride concentration was measured with a combined fluoride electrode coupled to the meter (n = 10 measurements per beverage). The Vickers hardness number of extracted molars was measured before and after a 30-minute immersion in 4 representative beverages via 2 immersion protocols (n = 10 per beverage per protocol): (1) immersion in the beverage only and (2) immersion alternating between the beverage and artificial saliva every other minute. The pH and fluoride concentrations of the beverages ranged from 2.652 to 4.242 and from 0.0033 to 0.6045 ppm, respectively. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that all differences between beverages in pH values were statistically significant, as were the majority of differences in fluoride concentrations (P < 0.001). The beverages and the 2 immersion methods significantly affected enamel softening (2-way ANOVA, P = 0.0001 to 0.033). The representative energy drink (pH 2.990; 0.0102 ppm fluoride) caused the greatest enamel softening followed by the representative kombucha (pH 2.820; 0.2036 ppm fluoride). The representative flavored sparkling water (pH 4.066; 0.0098 ppm fluoride) caused significantly less enamel softening than the energy drink and kombucha. A root beer (pH 4.185; 0.6045 ppm fluoride) had the least enamel softening effect. All tested beverages were acidic and had a pH below 4.5; only some contained fluoride. Flavored sparkling water, likely due to its higher pH, caused less enamel softening than the tested energy drink and kombucha. The fluoride content of kombucha and root beer lower their enamel-softening effects. It is imperative that consumers be aware of the erosive potential of beverages they consume., Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest reported.

In this study, we have described a miniaturized, simple, and low-cost device for sulfite determination in beverages by coupling Gas Diffusion Microextraction to paper-based analytical devices. The color change of an acid-base indicator - promoted by the generated gaseous SO 2 - impregnated onto the paper surface was monitored in the function of time by video recording using a smartphone. The analytical information was related to the Hue, Saturation, Value (HSV) color space extracted from the video file. The complete analytical platform was built using a 3D printer, allowing the easy fabrication of a low-cost tailored device. Under optimized conditions, a linear relation from 5 to 90 mg L -1 was obtained using 30 µL of the reagent, 1 mL of sample, and 10 min of analysis. The relative standard deviation and the limit of detection were 2.2 % and 1.6 mg L -1 , respectively. The method was successfully employed in several beverages, such as juices, soda, and coconut water., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The presence of Bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE), and their derivatives in seventy-nine samples of food products available in Turkish stores was determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Among Bisphenol A and its analogues, BPA was the most detected migrant with 56.97%. Fish products had the highest level of BPA with 0.102 mg/kg although only three fish samples exceeded the Specific Migration Limit (SML) for BPA of 0.05 mg/kg of food. The BPF, BPS, and BPB in all analyzed foods ranged between 0-0.021, 0-0.036, and 0.072 mg/kg, respectively. BADGE derivates, BADGE·2H 2 O and cyclo-di-BADGE (CdB) were present in 57 and 52 samples with concentrations ranging between 0-0.354, and 0-1.056 mg/kg, respectively. All the analyzed traditional Turkish ready-to-eat meals and fish products were contaminated with BADGE·2H 2 O and CdB. The overall levels of BADGE and the derivates were below the specific migration limit. CdB was found at higher concentrations in traditional Turkish ready-to-eat meals, up to 1.056 mg/kg. The CdB concentration in most of the samples was above the highest figure with 0.05 mg/kg authorized by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. The predominant chlorinated derivative was BADGE·H 2 O·HCl which was found in thirty-seven samples in the range of 0.007-0.061 mg/kg., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: A high intake of sugar, in particular from sugar-sweetened soft drinks, increases the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dental caries. Germany has pursued a national strategy for sugar reduction in soft drinks based on voluntary commitments by industry since 2015, but its effects are unclear., Methods: We use aggregated annual sales data from Euromonitor International to assess trends in mean sales-weighted sugar content of soft drinks and per capita sugar sales from soft drinks in Germany from 2015 to 2021. We compare these trends to the reduction path set by Germany's national sugar reduction strategy and to data for the United Kingdom, which adopted a soft drinks tax in 2017 and which we selected as best practice comparison country based on pre-defined criteria., Results: Between 2015 and 2021, the mean sales-weighted sugar content of soft drinks sold in Germany decreased by 2% from 5.3 to 5.2 g/100 mL, falling short of an interim 9% reduction target and a 29% reduction observed in the United Kingdom over the same period. Sugar sales from soft drinks in Germany decreased from 22.4 to 21.6 g/capita/day (-4%) between 2015 and 2021 but remain high from a public health perspective., Conclusions: Reductions observed under Germany's sugar reduction strategy fall short of stated targets and trends observed internationally under best practice conditions. Additional policy measures may be needed to support sugar reduction in soft drinks in Germany., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Sucrose acetate isobutyrate SAIB (E444) is a mixture produced by the esterification of sucrose with acetic anhydride and isobutyric anhydride. It is a food additive that is used as an emulsifier in soft drinks. It is difficult to analyse SAIB quantitatively because there are 256 synthesisable structures in the mixture. This study developed an analytical method for SAIB using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The pre-treatment of SAIB in soft drinks was performed using a liquid-liquid extraction method, which demonstrated a recovery rate of 107.8 ± 7.2%. In the GC-FID analysis of SAIB, numerous peaks were observed in the chromatogram, and the content of SAIB was calculated as the sum of these peak areas. A series of analytical methods were validated according to International Conference for Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Accordingly, the applicability of the developed analytical method was confirmed for both domestic and imported soft drinks distributed in Korea. Additionally, in the linoleic acid emulsion, SAIB exhibited better lipid oxidation stability than the natural antioxidant α-tocopherol and had similar efficacy to the synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Although SAIB has excellent lipid oxidation stability, it must be used within legal standards according to consumer demand to reduce the use of synthetic materials in processed foods. The validated GC-FID analytical method will enable subsequent monitoring of the distributed products.

Determining the level of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in packaged carbonated beverages is a current need to ensure food safety. High-selectivity and -accuracy identification of individual PAEs can be achieved by chromatographic and mass spectrometric (MS) techniques. However, these methods are slow; involve complicated, expensive instruments in professional laboratories; and consume a large amount of organic solvents. As such, a food analysis method is needed to conveniently and rapidly evaluate multiple contaminants on site. In this study, with the assistance of ultrasound, we quickly determined the total PAEs in soft drinks using 1.5 mL of petroleum ether in one step. Then, we determined the characteristic molecular fluorescence spectrum of all PAEs in samples (excitation (Ex)/emission (Em) at 218/351 nm) using selectively concentrated sulfuric acid derivatization. The relative standard deviations of the fluorescent intensities of mixed solutions with five different PAEs were lower than 7.1% at three concentration levels. The limit of detection of the proposed method is 0.10 μmol L -1 , which matches that of some of the chromatographic methods, but the proposed method uses less organic solvent and cheaper instruments. These microextraction devices and the fluorescence spectrometer are portable and provide an instant result, which shows promise for the evaluation of the total level of PAEs in beverages on site. The proposed method successfully detected the total level of PAEs in 38 kinds of soft drink samples from local supermarkets, indicating its potential for applications in the packaged beverage industry.

Attempts to reduce the sugar content of carbonated drinks are ongoing. Reducing the sugar content while maintaining the sensory quality requires the development of an effective sensory test method that can measure a consumers' perceived sensory difference and preference of reformulated products against the reference product. The A-Not A with reminder (A-Not AR) method (sometimes called the reminder method) allows blind sensory tests of multiple test samples vs. a reference, while for the reference, marketing information, such as brand name and advertisements emphasizing the consumer benefit, can be provided to improve the marketing effects and consumer expectation. Thus, a preference test method can also simulate branded tests using A-Not AR design with a branded reference, making them suitable for consumer sensory tests. In the present study, an affective difference-preference test method using an A-Not AR design with the reference familiarization procedure of providing marketing information was developed, called the "reminder-preference test". The "reminder-preference test" sensitivity was compared with the previously suggested version of the "same-different difference-preference test", using signal detection d' analyses. A lemon-lime flavored carbonated drink was used as the reference and compared with two types of reformulations. The consumers were divided randomly into two groups that performed one of the two difference-preference test methods. With the "reminder-preference test", the consumers watched a commercial advertisement for the reference by providing its brand name before the tests to evoke the marketing effects. The proposed sensory test of the "reminder-preference test" was more sensitive than the "same-different difference-preference test", in terms of both sensory and preference discriminations. Hence, brand effects can be incorporated into the consumer sensory evaluation to achieve the reformulation objective and the potential of the "reminder-preference test" and its signal detection d' analyses to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of consumer sensory measurements., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

After more than ten years since pesticide residues were detected in citrus-flavored soft drinks, this study reveals that the situation has not changed. A new sensitive multiresidue UHPLC-MS/MS method has been validated for 88 pesticides, which was used to analyze 200 samples manufactured in 67 countries, 80% corresponding to fruit-based soft drinks. The results show that 98% of the samples collected worldwide contained at least one pesticide, and 85% of them contained more than 4 pesticides. 40 out of 88 target compounds were quantified among the screened samples. Europe was the world region with the highest total amount of pesticides, probably due to the higher content of juice concentrate in samples, which may be the main source of the pesticide residues. Nevertheless, residues were also found in samples with no juice, so water quality also plays an important role as the main ingredient of citrus-flavored soft drinks., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sunset yellow (SY) is a synthetic colorant which can cause allergies, diarrhea and other symptoms in sensitive people. When ingested too much, it can accumulate in the body and cause damage to the kidneys and liver. Therefore, the content of SY in food must be strictly controlled. In order to regulate their use and ensure food quality, simple and cost-effective methods need to be developed to identify them. In this experiment, fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) were prepared by a one-step method, which is simple, mild and less time-consuming. The fluorescent SiNPs prepared had good thermal stability, excellent salt resistance and pH stability. SY effectively quenched the fluorescence of SiNPs by fluorescence resonance energy transfer when added to the system as an interfering substance. The method had a good linear relationship in the range of SY concentration of 0.050 - 14.0 μg mL -1 and the detection limit is 0.023 μg mL -1 . The established sensor was applied to the detection of SY in beverages, and the recovery rate was 93.8 - 102.4%. Based on the excellent selectivity and sensitivity of the method, it could provide a convenient way for the detection of SY in food samples.

Layered-double hydroxides (LDHs) modified with anionic surfactants via a co-precipitation method were developed for preconcentrating and simultaneous analysis of six benzoylurea insecticides (BUs) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The anionic surfactants with different chain lengths, including sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium 1-nonane sulfonate (SNS), and sodium 1-hexane sulfonate monohydrate (SHS) were investigated to improve the extraction efficiency of LDHs. The SDBS-LDHs provided the highest efficiency for the enrichment of the BUs studied. Under the chosen conditions, enrichment factors in the range of 38-69 and detection limits in the range of 0.1-0.3 μg L -1 were achieved. Good reproducibilities (RSD < 13.8%) and recoveries (71.4-118.7%) were also obtained. The proposed preconcentration method, used as an in situ procedure offers rapid and simple simultaneous preparation of LDHs and extraction of BUs. The method was successfully applied for residue analysis of BUs in fruit- and flower-derived soft drink samples.

The use of artificial colorants in food is highly regulated due to their potential to harm human health. Thus, it is crucial to detect these substances effectively to ensure conformance with industrial standards. In this work, we prepared a photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor and a charged coupled device (CCD)-based ECL sensor and compared their merits in the detection of sunset yellow (SY) dye. The sensors used C,N quantum dot-embedded g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (QDs@NSs) as the ECL agent and K 2 S 2 O 8 as the coreactant. SY was analyzed on the basis of amplification in the QDs@NHs-K 2 S 2 O 8 ECL system. The PMT-based sensor realized ultrasensitive detection using a single electrode, especially at low concentrations of SY. A CCD-based sensor imaged the ECL phenomenon of an electrode array and provided the advantages of high throughput and time savings. Under optimized conditions, both sensors exhibited high specificity, reproducibility and stability; detection limits of 20 nM with PMT detection and 5 μM with CCD detection were determined for SY, with detection ranging over at least two decades. The practical feasibilities of these systems were confirmed by satisfactory detection of SY in real drink samples., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The program WinMLR has been developed to quantify sorbic and benzoic acids in soft drinks, fruit juices, and soy sauce by making a multilinear regression treatment of experimental data to a linear combination of standard signals. The spectra of sorbic and benzoic acid and samples were obtained from a conventional spectrophotometer, which has been saved in an ASCII file to be applied with the WinMLR program. Before to determine sorbic and benzoic acids in samples, the wavelength validation and calibration parameters were studied. Standard solutions of sorbic and benzoic acids were used for the calibration parameters to measure the individual analyte. If the sample has simultaneously both compounds, it is better to choose the synthetic mixture for the calibration parameters. This technique provides a good recovery in the range of 80.4-104.8% without a complicated and expensive instrument., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is of major concern to public health due to its toxic potential and xenoestrogenic endocrine-disrupting effect. One of the major sources of BPA comes from the plastic bottles used to pack milk and soft drinks. The purpose of the present study was to assess and compare the risk associated with BPA transfer from plastic bottles to milk and soft drinks being stored in summer and winter conditions. A sensitive and reliable method of solid phase extraction cartridge packed with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was employed. In milk samples (supplied in plastic bottles) of winter season, BPA levels were 0.17-0.32 mg/ kg. In milk samples of summer season, BPA levels were 0.77-1.59 mg/ kg. In soft drink samples of winter, BPA levels were between 0.14 and 0.3 mg/kg. While in 4-month-aged summer soft drink samples, BPA levels were 0.7-1.02 mg/kg of food. The daily exposure dose (DED) of BPA in milk samples of winter season was 1.42-2.67 μg/kg which was below the standard tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 50 μg of BPA/kg of body weight as per USEPA. The DED of BPA in milk samples of summer season was 5.58-10 μg/kg of body weight which was also less than TDI. For soft drink samples, BPA from winter samples was ranged from 1.17 to 1.67 μg/kg of body weight while for summer 4-month-aged samples was 2.5-7.08 μg/kg of body weight. Both types of samples were still less than TDI of BPA., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

We developed and validated a method for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of food dyes in two food matrices, i.e., chewing gum and soft drinks. Furthermore, we evaluated the stability of food dyes in these matrices with respect to the pH and acid content. The optimized and validated method is based on high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) and liquid chromatography-tandem spectroscopy; the proposed method could identify and quantify 12 dyes in the two matrices. The recoveries of the food dyes identified by HPLC-PDA analysis ranged from 98.61% to 118.42%, with relative standard deviations of 0.06-4.90%. In addition, the expanded uncertainties of the measurements ranged from 0.57 to 3.12%. Finally, the food dyes were found to be stable in the matrices over 30 days. Thus, we believe that the proposed analytical method is suitable for the identification and quantification of food dyes in chewing gum and soft drink samples., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An electroanalytical platform capable to take and dilute the sample has been designed in order to fully integrate the different steps of the analytical process in only one device. The concept is based on the addition of glass-fiber pads for sampling and diluting to an electrochemical cell combining a paper-based working electrode with low-cost connector headers as counter and reference electrodes. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this all-in-one platform for biosensing applications, an enzymatic sensor for glucose determination (requiring a potential as low as -0.1 V vs. gold-plated wire by using ferrocyanide as mediator) was developed. Real food samples, such as cola beverages and orange juice, have been analyzed with the bioelectroanalytical lab-on-paper platform. As a proof-of-concept, and trying to go further in the integration of steps, sucrose was successfully detected by depositing invertase in the sampling strip. This enzyme hydrolyzes sucrose into fructose and glucose, which was determined using the enzymatic biosensor. This approach opens the pathway for the development of devices applying the lab-on-paper concept, saving costs and time, and making possible to perform decentralized analysis with high accuracy., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Natural anthocyanin dyes are safe for human and the environment due to their biocompatibility and rapid biodegradability. In this paper, an aqueous anthocyanin extract from grapes was used as a colouring reagent for the determination of humic acid (a cancer-promoting agent) in water and caffeine/phosphoric acid-containing caramelized soft drink. Three techniques, viz: chromametry, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed for comparative quantifications. The results showed that the chromametry technique exhibited better sensing performance than the spectroscopic techniques in terms of the limit of detection (LOD) and % recovery. However, both chromametry and UV-Vis techniques agreed that the presence of HA could easily be detected in the soft drink at a spiked concentration of 6.4 ppm where less interference occurred., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Caffeine is the most common psychoactive substance available to adults, as well as to children and adolescents. The safety of its use in younger age groups requires further research. The aim of this study was to evaluate caffeine intake, to identify products and drinks that are the main sources of caffeine intake in the diet of the subjects and the risk of excessive caffeine intake with the diet of adolescents, stratified by gender. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 508 adolescents aged 16-18 years from southern Poland. Black tea, cola-based soft drinks and milk chocolate were the most frequently consumed products containing caffeine in the diet of the examined persons. The average caffeine intake was 95.54 mg/day (1.54 mg/kg b.w.). In 12.2% of the subjects the dose of 3 mg/kg b.w./day was exceeded, and in over 41.3% the dose causing sleep disorders was exceeded. The dose causing anxiety was also exceeded in 18.1% of the respondents, significantly more often in girls than boys ( p = 0.0487).

In this work, a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) consisting of L-menthol and acetic acid in a 1:1 molar ratio has been applied as extraction solvent for the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of the floating organic drop (DLLME-SFO) of a group of nine phthalic acid esters (dipropyl phthalate, DPP; butyl benzyl phthalate, BBP; dibutyl phthalate, DBP; dicyclohexyl phthalate, DCHP; diisopentyl phthalate, DIPP; di-n-pentyl phthalate, DNPP; di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, DEHP; diisononyl phthalate, DINP; and diisodecyl phthalate, DIDP) from three common infusions (camomile, pennyroyal mint, and linden teas) and three soft drinks (green tea, tonic, and lime and lemon drink), using dihexyl phthalate (DHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) as internal standards. After the DLLME-SFO procedure, analyses were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Method calibration showed good linearity for all the analytes and matrices, with determination coefficients (R 2 ) higher than 0.9910. Relative recovery values were between 71 and 125 %, with relative standard deviation values in the range 1-22 % for the six types of samples, while the limits of quantification of the method were in the range 4.3-51.1 µg/L for infusions and in the range 3.5-33.3 µg/L for soft drinks. Several samples purchased in different local supermarkets were analysed, finding DPP, DBP, DIPP, DEHP and DINP, although only DPP, DBP and DEHP could be quantified in some of them., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The increasing interest of consumers in the still-developing craft beer market and the strict tax-related legal regulations concerning alcoholic beverages require precise methods for quality control. Determination of ethyl alcohol concentration was performed in 167 samples of alcoholic beverages (craft beers, soft drinks, wines, and cider). We applied headspace gas chromatography using a dual column/dual flame ionization detector (HS-GC-FID/FID), a technique routinely used in forensic toxicology. The method was linear in range, from 0.01 to 20.0%, with a coefficient of determination of 0.999 (R2). The limit of quantification was 0.01%; the detection limit was 0.003%. Furthermore, very good validation parameters were achieved (precision and accuracy below 5%). The samples were analyzed for compliance with EU standards and recommendations of The Beer Judge Certification Program. Moreover, the content of trace quantities of volatile compounds and fusel alcohols (1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetone, and acetaldehyde) was found in the majority of alcoholic beverages., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Flunitrazepam is one of the frequently used hypnotic drugs to incapacitate victims for sexual assault. Appropriate diagnostic tools should be available to victims regarding the growing concern about "date-rape drugs" and their adverse impact on society. Miniaturized screen-printed potentiometric sensors offer crucial point-of-care devices that alleviate this serious problem. In this study, all solid-state screen-printed potentiometric flunitrazepam sensors have been designed. The paper device was printed with silver and carbon ink. Formation of an aqueous layer in the interface between carbon-conducting material and ion-sensing membrane nevertheless poses low reproducibility in the solid-contact electrodes. Accordingly, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDT) nano-dispersion was applied as a conducting hydrophobic polymer on the electrode surface to curb water accumulation. Conditioning of ion-sensing membrane in the vicinity of reference membrane has been considered carefully using special protocol. Electrochemical characteristics of the proposed PEDT-based sensor were calculated and compared favorably to PEDT-free one. The miniaturized device was successfully used for the determination of flunitrazepam in carbonated soft drinks, energy drink, and malt beverage. Statistical comparison between the proposed sensor and official method revealed no significant difference. Nevertheless, the proposed sensor provides simple and user-friendly diagnostic tool with less equipment for on-site determination of flunitrazepam.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and adipates are plasticizers with high applicability in several products and building materials (e.g. cosmetics, packing) very persistent in the environment, features which render them ubiquitous pollutants. These substances can contaminate food through the environment (water, air, and soil) and/or migration from packaging materials, which creates a health concern due to their toxicity. This paper describes an eco-friendly dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) procedure to extract five phthalates and bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) from bottled herbal-based beverages followed by GC-MS/MS quantification. The method showed low limits of detection (5.0-13 μg L -1 ) and quantification (20-35 μg L -1 ), good inter- and intraday precision (RSD < 19%), and recoveries ranging from 82 to 111%. It was applied to 16 real samples, of which 13 showed the presence of at least one of the analytes under study. Additionally, an exposure assessment was performed, and resulted in a hazard quotient less than 1 (HQ < 1) for all analytes. Therefore, PAEs and DEHA found in samples do not pose a health issue.

The present study aimed to use fish by-products to generate gelatin peptides with potential applications in carbonated beverages. After ultrafiltration, the F < 3 kDa (fraction < 3 kDa) showed the highest peptide concentration (227.22 mg/g) as well as antibacterial (MIC of ≤ 0.5 mg/mL) and antioxidant activities, including hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging, ferrous chelation, and ferric reduction (with IC 50 values of 0.88, 1.04, 0.50 mg/mL, and 0.58, respectively). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging was the highest in the 3 < F < 10 kDa (IC 50 of 0.64 mg/mL). In vitro gastrointestinal digestion significantly decreased all biological activities. Solubility, water holding capacity, and emulsifying activity of the F < 3 kDa were the highest while foaming properties and overfoaming were reversibly related to the molecular weight. All abovementioned properties, in addition to in vitro cytotoxicity analysis in different cell lines and better flavor characteristics, indicated that the F < 3 kDa could be safely and properly used as an ingredient for the fortification of carbonated beverages., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aqueous extracts from seven coloured potato varieties (three red-fleshed, three-purple fleshed, and one marble-fleshed) were studied for their anthocyanin content, in vitro biological activities, colouring properties and their potential application in the food industry. Acylated glycosides or pelargonidin and petunidin aglycones were identified as the main anthocyanin forms in the red and purple varieties, respectively. The total anthocyanin content among varieties ranged from 478.3 to 886.2 mg/100 g extract. All the extracts presented in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities, whereas no toxic effects were detected. Finally, two selected extracts were tested as colourants in a soft drink formulation and presented suitable sensory profiles as well as high colour stability during a 30-day shelf-life when compared with the commercial colourant E163. Therefore, the tested extracts could be used as natural food colourants and considered for substituting the existing synthetic colouring agents., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Taurine is one of the main ingredients used in energy drinks which are highly consumed in adolescents for their sugary taste and stimulating effect. With energy drinks becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the biological effects of these beverages must be evaluated in order to fully comprehend the potential impact of these products on the health due to the fact nutrition is closely related to science since the population consumes food to prevent certain diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the biological effects of taurine, glucose, classic Red Bull ® and sugar-free Red Bull ® in order to check the food safety and the nutraceutical potential of these compounds, characterising different endpoints: (i) Toxicology, antitoxicology, genotoxicology and life expectancy assays were performed in the Drosophila melanogaster model organism; (ii) The in vitro chemopreventive activity of testing compounds was determined by assessing their cytotoxicity, the proapoptotic DNA-damage capability to induce internucleosomal fragmentation, the strand breaks activity and the modulator role on the methylation status of genomic repetitive sequences of HL-60 promyelocytic cells. Whereas none tested compounds showed toxic or genotoxic effect, all tested compounds exerted antitoxic and antigenotoxic activity in Drosophila . Glucose, classic Red Bull ® and sugar-free Red Bull ® were cytotoxic in HL-60 cell line. Classic Red Bull ® induced DNA internucleosomal fragmentation although none of them exhibited DNA damage on human leukaemia cells. In conclusion, the tested compounds are safe on Drosophila melanogaster and classic Red Bull ® could overall possess nutraceutical potential in the in vivo and in vitro model used in this study. Besides, taurine could holistically be one of the bioactive compounds responsible for the biological activity of classic Red Bull ® .

The Diet Coke and Mentos experiment involves dropping Mentos candies into carbonated beverages to produce a fountain. This simple experiment has enjoyed popularity with science teachers and the general public. Studies of the physicochemical processes involved in the generation of the fountain have been largely informed by the physics of bubble nucleation. Herein, we probe the effect of ethanol addition on the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment to explore the impact that beverage surface tension and viscosity have on the heights of fountains achieved. Our results indicate that current descriptions of the effects of surface tension and viscosity are not completely understood. We also extend and apply a previously reported, simplified version of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory to investigate kinetic and mechanistic aspects of bubble nucleation on the surface of Mentos candies in carbonated beverages. A combination of this new theory and experiment allows for the estimation that the nucleation sites on the Mentos candy that catalyze degassing are 1-3 μm in size, and that between 50,000 and 300,000 of these sites actively nucleate bubbles on a single Mentos candy. While the methods employed are not highly sophisticated, they have potential to stimulate fresh investigations and insights into bubble nucleation in carbonated beverages.

Herein, a new method for quantifying the brominated vegetable oil content in commercial soft drinks was developed, which accelerated the sample preparation process and improved analytical efficiency. First, simple and accurate chromatographic separation techniques were performed using a VF-5ht column for both GC-FID (quantitative) and APGC-QTOF (qualitative) analyses. The samples were subjected to chromatography on a reversed-phase solid-phase extraction cartridge. (PoraPak™RxnRP). Transesterification using a boron trifluoride methanol complex in methanol solution was performed. When validating this method, the analyte recovery percentages were between 82.2% and 99.9%, and the recovery and standard deviation of repeatability values were between 1.2% and 3.5%. Using an isotope library, the bromostearic acid methyl esters (9,10-dibromostearic acid methyl ester, 9,10,12,13-tetrabromostearic acid methyl ester, and hexabromostearic acid methyl ester) in the sample mixtures were qualitatively confirmed via APGC-QTOF. A novel aqueous ammonium adduct, which has not been previously reported, was also confirmed. These results indicated that this new method was simple, accurate, and also allowed for precise qualitative and quantitative confirmation as well as high reproducibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: If we want to carry out sugar-free alternative beverages and reformulations of the beverages with full sugar in which they are reduced, at the same time we need to give a good palatability and reduce sweetness taste. An appropriate strategy is the use of different low and non-calorie sweeteners that can also be used as a tool to reduce the sugar and calorie content of food and beverages using low and non-caloric sweeteners adequately. Consumers may control the consumption of foods and beverages for decreasing compensatory effects and indulgence that avoids not reducing effectively the total intake of sugar and calories in the diet. Reformulation approaches have begun to be made for existing soft drinks to reduce the sugar content since the beginning of the 21st century, together with the market increase of alternatives without sugar or without added sugars. This sugar reduction has been possible and the percentage of beverages low calorie soft drinks have increased significantly since 2016.

Ready-to-drink teas can provide, if properly packaged, the taste and wellness character of traditional teas. Nevertheless, in tea processing, there may be several contaminations, among which polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), anthropogenic contaminants that can present carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. In this work, a novel low-density deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (LDDES-DLLME) procedure followed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was optimized for analysis of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ready-to-drink herbal-based beverages. The new deep eutectic solvent (DES) was synthesized with natural compounds (camphor and hexanoic acid). Several parameters of the extraction procedure such as type and volume of extraction solvent, type, volume of dispersive solvent, and time of extraction were evaluated to achieve the highest yield and to attain the lowest detection limits. The validated method showed very low limits of detection (0.01 μg L -1 ) and quantification (0.2 μg L -1 ), good inter- and intra-day precisions (RSD<16.87%), and recoveries higher than 69%. The method was applied to 16 type of samples and it was found total PAHs levels ranging from 0.20 to 1.82 μg L -1 . The developed LDDES-DLLME showed a reliable and innovative alternative for the extraction of PAHs from beverages, cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and providing a satisfactory throughput., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rationale: Since energy drinks (EDs) were marketed to the general public as recreational and soft drinks, mixing these with alcohol has become a popular practice, especially in the younger population. Alcohol mixed with EDs (AmEDs) is a particularly alarming combination, given the evidence that consistently associate these drinks with increased risk behaviours and greater alcohol consumption. Caffeine and taurine are commonly found in EDs. In contrast to caffeine, the studies on taurine psychoactive properties and how this amino acid influences ethanol intake alone or in combination with caffeine are not so numerous., Objectives: We summarised relevant and available data on the studies focusing on taurine as a psychoactive agent and its influence on ethanol (EtOH)-induced behaviours. Given the increased risk that represents mixing alcohol with energy drinks, we put emphasis on the research exploring the impact of these combinations on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption., Results: The research on taurine properties on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption is limited, and mostly all done in combination with caffeine or other molecules. This makes it difficult to elucidate the effect of this amino acid when combined with alcohol., Conclusions: Incomplete understanding of the properties and effects of AmEDs is unavoidable until more studies are performed on the influence of taurine on motivation to consume alcohol. Taurine should be further explored, particularly in regard to its potential beneficial applications, motivational properties and synergies with other psychoactive ingredients (i.e. caffeine).

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for almost two-thirds of the deaths in the 22 countries and territories of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and unhealthy diets are a major contributor. Prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased among adults, adolescents and older children in recent decades. Among countries with the highest prevalence there are signs that the increase is slowing down or even that prevalence is declining. There has been no increase in the prevalence rate in younger children, although the absolute number of children under five years affected by overweight has increased. This review summarizes prevalence data and examines current implementation of regulatory, fiscal and voluntary measures to promote healthy diet across the Region. The last decade has seen a step up in such action. Ten of the Region's countries have policies relating to trans-fatty acids and they are increasingly implementing specific regulatory measures. Thirteen countries had fully or partially implemented national salt reduction policies by 2019. Only four countries had adopted policies relating to aspects of marketing food to children by 2019, and concrete action in this area is still lacking. Eight countries have introduced taxes-sometimes at a rate of 50%-on carbonated or sugar-sweetened beverages. In order to meet the agreed global and regional goals relating to nutrition and diet-related NCDs, countries will need to build on this progress and scale up action across the Region while intensifying efforts in areas where concrete action is lacking.

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) have gained attention in recent years due to their continuous discharge in natural waters. Their persistence in the environment has impacted flora, fauna and human being worldwide. One of the most common PPCPs is caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) which acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system in humans and is found in nature in about 60 plant species, especially in coffee, tea and cacao plants. Here we discuss the evidence with respect to caffeine occurrence, its persistence and remediation in light of increasing knowledge and the impact of caffeine on the environment. Daily intake of caffeine around the world is found to increase due to the frequent introduction of new caffeinated beverages as well as increased consumption of coffee, tea and carbonated soft drinks, which has led to increase in its concentration in water bodies including agricultural soil. The caffeine concentration in different water system, studied by various authors is also described. Diverse effects of the use of caffeine on several organisms including humans are also briefly presented. Therefore, urgent attention for the removal of caffeine and its derivatives is the need of the hour. Various methods described in literature for caffeine degradation/removal is also presented. Another widely used technique in environmental remediation is molecular imprinting (MIP); however, only few MIPs have been demonstrated for caffeine which is also discussed. Regular monitoring can be useful to control toxic effects of caffeine. Graphical abstract.

Phenylketonuria and tyrosinemia type 1 are treated with dietary phenylalanine (Phe) restriction. Aspartame is a Phe-containing synthetic sweetener used in many products, including many 'regular' soft drinks. Its amount is (often) not declared; therefore, patients are advised not to consume aspartame-containing foods. This study aimed to determine the variation in aspartame concentrations and its Phe-containing degradation products in aspartame-containing soft drinks. For this, an LC-MS/MS method was developed for the analysis of aspartame, Phe, aspartylphenylalanine, and diketopiperazine in soft drinks. In total, 111 regularly used soft drinks from 10 European countries were analyzed. The method proved linear and had an inter-assay precision (CV%) below 5% for aspartame and higher CVs% of 4.4-49.6% for the degradation products, as many concentrations were at the limit of quantification. Aspartame and total Phe concentrations in the aspartame-containing soft drinks varied from 103 to 1790 µmol/L (30-527 mg/L) and from 119 to 2013 µmol/L (20-332 mg/L), respectively, and were highly variable among similar soft drinks bought in different countries. Since Phe concentrations between drinks and countries highly vary, we strongly advocate the declaration of the amount of aspartame on soft drink labels, as some drinks may be suitable for consumption by patients with Phe-restricted diets.

This research communication addresses the impact of the addition of Lactobacillus casei and/or carbonation (CO2) on the chemical composition, physicochemical characteristics, probiotic survival, and sensory acceptance of passion-fruit flavored whey dairy beverages (70% milk/30% whey) during storage (30 d/4°C). The addition of Lactobacillus casei and/or carbonation did not impact on the chemical composition, pH values, and acceptance (flavor and overall impression) of the products, but increased the acidity, and decreased the aroma acceptance. The carbonation process did not affect the probiotic survival but decreased the acidity of the products during storage. It can be concluded that it is possible to develop a probiotic passion-fruit flavored carbonated whey dairy beverage with suitable chemical composition, acidity, sensory acceptance (>6 in 9-point hedonic scale) and probiotic viability (>7 log cfu/ml) that could be refrigerated stored for 30 d. This is the first report considering a probiotic non-fermented carbonated whey dairy beverage.

Accidental ingestion of Pb-contaminated soil particles by direct hand-to-mouth activity or by swallowing airborne dust particles is important pathway of human exposure to Pb. Appropriate evaluation of Pb risk to human is important in determining whether the soil needs remediation or not, however, there is paucity of data about the dietary influences on Pb bioaccessibility (Pb-BA) and transformation in humans. This study chose two typical foods, spinach and cola, representing vegetable and soft drink, respectively, and investigated their effects on Pb species in gastrointestinal tract using the physiologically based extraction test. Results showed that ingestion of spinach and cola decreased the Pb-BA by 52%-94% in the gastric phase and by 38%-95% in the intestinal phase, respectively. The reduction of Pb-BA by spinach was attributed to the precipitation of Pb with phosphorus in spinach and the sorption of Pb by the generated hydrolysate and un-hydrolysate from spinach in gastrointestinal tract. Cola decreased Pb-BA mainly via formation of insoluble Pb phosphates precipitates. Analysis of X-ray diffraction and MINTEQ modeling demonstrated that the dissolved Pb was transformed to precipitated or sorbed Pb with intake of cola or spinach. Our findings suggest that dietary habit greatly influence the speciation and subsequent Pb-BA in the gastrointestinal tract, which should be incorporated into human health risk assessment of Pb-contaminated soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess total sugar (TS), added sugar (AS) and free sugar (FS) intakes, dietary sources, adherence to recommendations and determinants of consumption, in a Portuguese national sample., Design: Cross-sectional study. Dietary assessment was obtained by two food diaries in children aged <10 years and two non-consecutive 24 h recalls for other age groups. TS, AS and FS intakes were estimated by using SPADE software. TS content in food was estimated at the ingredient level. AS content in food was assessed through a systematic methodology and FS was based on the WHO definition., Setting: National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF 2015-2016), Portugal., Participants: Representative sample from the Portuguese population, aged from 3 months to 84 years (n 5811)., Results: Mean daily intake and contribution to total energy intake (E%) were 84·3 g/d (18·5 E%) for TS, 32·1 g/d (6·8 E%) for AS and 35·3 g/d (7·5 E%) for FS. Of the population, 76 % adhered to the FS recommendation (FS < 10 E%). The lowest adherence was in children (51·6 %) and adolescents (51·3 %). The main dietary source of TS was fruit across all ages, except in adolescents which was soft drinks. In children, the main dietary sources of FS were yoghurts and sweets, soft drinks in adolescents and table sugar in adults/elderly. FS intake was lower in children with more educated parents and in adults who practised physical activity regularly, and higher among smokers., Conclusions: Interventions ought to be planned towards decreasing intakes of added and free sugars considering population-specific characteristics.

High sodium dietary intake has a positive association with an increase in blood pressure and can be correlated with risk factors of disease. Considering that the World Health Organization recommends a sodium intake lower than 2 g day -1 for adults, the hidden sodium content in processed foods is an important factor that compromises the assessment of a healthy diet. Accordingly, the present paper aimed to quantitate the sodium content of conventional soft drinks and their diet versions using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a quantitative analytical technique ( 23 Na qNMR). The results show one free sodium signal (Na + ) displayed as a singlet at 0 ppm in the 23 Na NMR spectrum, making its quantitation highly specific. This signal alone was used to directly determine the concentration of sodium in soft drinks. Flame photometry analysis was used to validate the method, and an excellent linearity was found in qNMR analysis (r = 0.9994) in comparison with flame photometry (r = 0.9958). In addition, a good correlation was found between sodium concentrations obtained by 23 Na NMR and flame photometry in the evaluated commercial soft drinks. Since the intensity of the resonance line is directly proportional to the number of nuclei (spins), the concentration of sodium in soft drinks can be determined via this straightforward method without the need for external calibration. The experimental acquisitions are fast (approximately 15 min), allowing the analysis of several samples in a short period of time. This is a novel alternative for sodium quantitation using an efficient NMR methodology., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: The consumption of free sugars in the UK is more than double the guideline intake for adults and close to triple for children, with soft drinks representing a significant proportion. The aim of this study was to assess how individual soft drink companies and consumers have responded to calls to reduce sugar consumption, including the soft drink industry levy (SDIL), between 2015 and 2018., Methods: This was an annual cross-sectional study using nutrient composition data of 7377 products collected online, paired with volume sales data for 195 brands offered by 57 companies. The main outcome measures were sales volume, sugar content and volume of sugars sold by company and category, expressed in total and per capita per day terms., Results: Between 2015 and 2018, the volume of sugars sold per capita per day from soft drinks declined by 30%, equivalent to a reduction of 4.6 g per capita per day. The sales-weighted mean sugar content of soft drinks fell from 4.4 g/100 ml in 2015 to 2.9 g/100 ml in 2018. The total volume sales of soft drinks that are subject to the SDIL (i.e. contain more than 5 g/100 ml of sugar) fell by 50%, while volume sales of low- and zero-sugar (< 5 g/100 ml) drinks rose by 40%., Conclusion: Action by the soft drinks industry to reduce sugar in products and change their product portfolios, coupled with changes in consumer purchasing, has led to a significant reduction in the total volume and per capita sales of sugars sold in soft drinks in the UK. The rate of change accelerated between 2017 and 2018, which also implies that the implementation of the SDIL acted as an extra incentive for companies to reformulate above and beyond what was already being done as part of voluntary commitments to reformulation, or changes in sales driven by consumer preferences.

Objective and Aim: The importance of fluoride in preventing dental diseases cannot be overemphasized. The aim of this study was to determine the fluoride content of commercial bottled water, sachet water and carbonated soft drinks available in Southeastern-Nigeria at the same time, eliciting their dental and public health implications., Method: Determination of fluoride level in water and carbonated drinks was carried out using Colorimetric-SPADNS (Trisodium 2-(4-sulfophenylazo)-1, 8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3, 6-disulfonate) method. This is a simple and rapid technique with high accuracy. 10 brands of bottled water, 10 brands of carbonated soft drinks and 20 brands of sachet water were studied. The experiment for each brand was carried out in duplicates and mean fluoride concentrations generated. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 17., Results: Fluoride contents in mg/L of bottled water brands ranged from 0.0173 ± 0.0019 mg/L to 0.1607 ± 0.0630 mg/L [mean: 0.0442 ± 0.0184 mg/L] and that of sachet water brands was from 0.0131 ± 0.0019 mg/L to 0.1754 ± 0.1344 mg/L. Mean fluoride content of carbonated soft drinks was 0.0228 ± 0.0064 mg/L with one of the brands having as low as 0.0066 ± 0.0028 mg/L fluoride., Conclusion: None of the drinks investigated contained level of fluoride up to standard admissible values suggesting sub-optimal intake. As the suitability of advice on fluoride use in preventing dental abnormalities depends on the individual's total fluoride intake from drinks and other sources, a further study is warranted to relate this total with the baseline decayed missing and filled teeth of the population., Competing Interests: None