Influence of Preservatives Added in Non-Carbonated Soft Drink on Bacteria in The Gut and Oral Flora. In Vitro Analysis.

The study aims to check the antimicrobial effect of soft drinks on gut bacteria. A soft drink is a drink that usually contains carbonated water, a sweetener, and a natural or artificial flavouring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high- fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, sugar substitute, or some combination of these. In non-carbonated drinks, preservatives are added to increase the shelf life. The preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to food or beverages to prevent decomposition due to microbial growth or any other undesirable chemical changes, mainly to prevent bacterial growth. This may affect the bacteria present in the mouth and even in the intestine. Normal flora is a set of microorganisms that live on a host without causing any disease. They become the resident flora of our body. They are called commensals. These bacteria prevent us from being affected by more dangerous bacteria. It is essential to protect our body against the injurious agents. These soft drinks are not at all beneficial to us in any way. The normal flora of our body is very essential to maintain our normal health. Loss of normal flora will lead to colonisation of pathogens in our mouth and intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]