Why Put Phosphoric Acid in Soda?

“Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!” – Gomer Pyle

Having a Ham ‘n’ Cheese with Dijon Mustard on Rye and some potato chips and a can of soda for lunch? Don’t know about you, but that makes me hungry. You grab a handful of chips, chew off a piece of the sandwich, and then you reach for the soda. Hmm. Wonder what’s in the soda? Carbonated water, Yes. Sweetener, Yes. Coloring, Yes. Phosphoric Acid — “What?! You’re kidding me. Why did they ever put Phosphoric Acid in my soda? Are they in cahoots with the dentists?”

Calm Down – It’s Not As Bad As It Seems

Why do they put phosphoric acid in soda? Maryland’s Frostburg State University informs us,¹

Phosphoric acid is deliberately added to soft drinks to give them a sharper flavor. It also slows the growth of molds and bacteria, which would otherwise multiply rapidly in the sugary solution.”

Although soda is definitely on the acid side and is not good for your teeth for various reasons, Frostburg also states,¹

Almost all of the acidity of soda pop comes from the phosphoric acid and not from the carbonic acid from the dissolved CO2 … The phosphoric acid is corrosive, but actually the acid concentration in soda pop is lower than that in orange juice or lemonade.”

One thoughtful worry is that the phosphoric acid may leach calcium out of a person’s system, being excreted in the urine. How real a concern is this? An article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes,

The excess calciuria² associated with consumption of carbonated beverages is confined to caffeinated beverages. Acidulant type has no acute effect.”³

This finding indicates that phosphoric or any other acid ordinarily used in the manufacture of soda does not of itself lead to the excess calcium in the urine. It is only soda that contains caffeine that leads to excess calcium loss.

I Thought Soda Is Not Good For You

Of course soda is bad for other reasons – particularly for its high sugar content. In some instances, the sugar is not in a form originally found in nature, but is modified by enzymes. High-fructose corn syrup is made by changing the glucose in cornstarch to contain fructose. It was gradually introduced into soda due to its costing less than sugar and its ability to increase the shelf life of processed foods.⁴

I Thought Corn Is Good For You

Much soda now exclusively uses corn syrup as its sweetener. High-fructose corn syrup has been accused of promoting obesity, and obesity often results in diabetes.

It can be seen, then, that probably the presence of phosphoric acid in soda is the thing one should least worry about. The presence of high-fructose corn syrup and of caffeine, should be eyed with greater concern.

^{1 http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/why-phosphoric-acid-in-soda-pop.shtml}

^{2 Calciuria: the presence of calcium in the urine.}

^{3 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 74, No. 3, 343-347, September 2001.}

^{4 Nutrition and Healthy Eating, High-fructose corn syrup: What are the concerns? by Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.}