URGENT: NutraSweet/MENTHANOL/TRUTH

[Steven B. Harris]

In <3vsk87$nnb at ix.cs.uoregon.edu> bretwood at cs.uoregon.edu (Joseph Bret
Wood) writes: 
>
>In article <Pine.SUN.3.91.950803111025.6088C-100000 at noel.pd.org>,
>Betty Martini  <betty at noel.pd.org> wrote:
>[snip]
>>it in several things.  You may have seen one post that says they no 
>>longer can get Diet Orange (Coke).  I haven't checked that out as yet
but 
>>I would see the reasoning in it since in something  with acid they
would 
>>have to use much more aspartame, and "they" may be getting many more 
>>complaints.
>
>Yet another example of chemical ignorance.  First off, the carbonation
in
>ALL soft drinks forms an equilibrium concentration of carbonic acid,
therefore
>all carbonated beverages are acidic.  (In fact, I've heard that in
olden
>days drinks were carbonated by adding H2CO3 powder, rather than
bottling under
>CO2 pressure.)
>
>                CO2 + H2O  <===>  H2CO3   (Carbonic Acid)
>
>Secondly, you've heard that oranges contain citric acid!  Wow!  You're
SOOOOO
>SMART!  Did you ever check the ingredient label of Coke, or Diet Coke?
 They
>contain Phosphoric Acid, which is a much stronger acid than citric
acid.
>
>(Although the relative pH's depend on the concentration of acid, Colas

>even FEEL more acidic when you drink them.  Just like fresh carbonated

>beverages feel more acidic on your throat than flat ones, because they
have
>more carbonic acid.)
>
>-Bret Wood
>-bretwood at cs.uoregon.edu


Agree with all you've said, except for the "H2CO3 powder" part.  Ain't
no such animal.  H2CO3 is impossible to get in a pure state at normal
temperatures.  I'd be surprised if it had been done even cryogencially.

CO2 disolved in water is 99% molecular disolved CO2 gas, and 1% H2CO3
(in an equilibrium state).  It's just about impossible to raise the
H2CO3 content higher than that.

                                           Steve Harris, M.D.