11 Facts about Phosphoric Acid contained in Coca Cola

11 Facts about Phosphoric Acid contained  in Coca Cola

 1. Phosphoric acid is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a syrupy consistency.

2. Phosphoric acid is used as an acidifying agent to give colas their tangy flavor.

3. Due to the use of phosphoric acid, cola is a actually more acid than lemon juice or vinegar. The vast amount of sugar acts to mask and balance the acidity.

4. Phosphoric acid also goes by E338, orthophosphoric acid, and phosphoric(V) acid.

5. Food-grade phosphoric acid is a mass-produced chemical, available cheaply and in large quantities.

6. Phosphoric acid is commonly used for rust removal.

7. Phosphorus-containing substances occur naturally (0.1%-0.5%) in foods such as milk, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and egg yolks.

8. Phosphoric acid has been linked to lower bone density in some epidemiological studies, including a discussion in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

9. Opposing studies showed the opposite – that  low intake of phosphorus leads to lower bone density. Guess who funded the studies? PepsiCo.

10. Aside from the risk of osteoporosis, Cola consumption has also been linked to chronic kidney disease and kidney stones.

11. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group not affiliated with the food industry, only a small fraction of the phosphate in the American diet comes from additives in soft drinks. Most comes from meat and dairy products. So your reason for not drinking Coke should be its sugar content and artificial food colorings, not the phosphoric acid.


Specific Uses:
Used in cleaning operations to remove encrusted surface matter and mineral scale found on metal equipment
such as boilers and steam producing equipment. Orthophosphoric acid is routinely used as a cleaning
compound in its dilute form to remove oxidation from non-stainless steel surfaces, staining of stainless steel,
lime and scale from heat exchangers and in Clean-in-Place (CIP) cleaning operations especially in dairy
processing to remove build up of calcium and phosphate salts from processing equipment. It is also used to
brighten metals and remove rust.
Additionally, orthophosphoric acid can be mixed with other detergents for process cleaning operations. It is
used as an acidulent and flavoring in soft drinks--mainly colas--jellies, frozen dairy products, bakery products,
candy, cheese products and in the brewing industry. It is also used as a sequestrant in hair tonics, nail polishes
and skin fresheners. The concentrated form is irritating to skin and mucous membranes.