Instead, the drink is completely transparent, like water, though Coca-Cola insists it maintains a similar flavour to coloured versions.
Coca-Cola Clear is a colorless variant of the soft drink Coca-Cola. Without the normal caramel ingredient, Coca-Cola Clear has none of the typical dark Coke color. The drink is lemon-flavored to compensate for the removed caramel. It was developed at Coca-Cola Asia Pacific and launched locally in Japan in June 2018.
The folks over at Coca-Cola Japan came up with the concept of getting rid of the caramel ingredients that gives the drink its the distinct colour and developed it for a year before the US headquarters green lit the idea. Over 50 samples and flavours were experimented with before the decision to go with lemon was made.
Caramel color is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks, and a possible human carcinogen—4-methylimidazole (4-MEI)—is formed during the manufacture of some kinds of the coloring.
Coca-Cola uses different sweeteners in different countries to cater to local taste preferences and comply with local regulations. In Japan, Coca-Cola uses a combination of high-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar as sweeteners, while in some other countries it uses high-fructose corn syrup as the primary sweetener.
The biggest difference is the sweetener used. In Australia, cane sugar is used while in America (excluding Mexico, where cane sugar is also used), Coca-Cola is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (commonly known as HFCS).
There's definitely been some interesting flavors of Coca-Cola in Japan, with strawberry, peach, and apple Coke leading the charge. The latest flavor of Coca-Cola in Japan might raise quite a few eyebrows for those uninitiated with anime, however. That's because new newest Coca-Cola in Japan is Bleach flavored!
Caramel colour – A very specific caramel is made especially for Coca-Cola, to give the drink its characteristic colour. Phosphoric Acid – The tartness of Coca-Cola comes from the use of phosphoric acid. Caffeine – The slight bitterness in the taste of Coca-Cola comes from caffeine.
Alcohol was distributed in the same way. But while alcohol was taxed at the time, soft drinks were not. So, the Coca-Cola Company began painting its barrels red in order to help customs and tax officials distinguish them from barrels of booze.
Pepsi currently trails Coca-Cola in Japan with the second highest market share — the country is Coke's second-biggest market after America with more than US$10bn in sales. In terms of drinks groups, Suntory trails its rival with a market share of 17.1%, behind Coca Cola on 22.4%.
A2A It appears from the ingredient label that the only component with color is the caramel coloring, so without that Coca-Cola should be clear (unless any of the other ingredients cause a chemical reaction resulting in color). It would be colorless.
“The tradition of pouring for others and not directly for yourself is an act of politeness in Japanese culture,” Nes Rueda, managing director of Heavensake, says. It “creates interactions between the people in attendance, allowing both the sake and conversation to flow.”
I'm in Japan – the mecca of novelty junk food! Of course, I sought out some new and quirky offerings. Coca-Cola has introduced a colorless version of its signature pop – trailing a quarter of a century behind Pepsi in the clear soda arms race.
There is no diet coke in Japan. Maybe somewhere hidden away in a specialty store in Tokyo, but as a tourist you probably won't know about it. Your alternative is Coke Zero. There is also a no calorie Coca Cola called Coke Plus that has fiber added to it.
For the most part, a lot of components of Coke remain the same in all countries. According to Coca-Cola, the "basic ingredients and process used to make Coca-Cola" are the same everywhere. One other reason why it tends to taste different in other countries is because of Coke's franchised bottling.
Coca-cola is brown because it contains added caramel color. Caramel color is a commonly used food coloring and is listed on the Coca-Cola label. The kola nut, which is the origin of the word cola has a red-brown color and was likely the inspiration behind the colors used in Coca-Cola's branding.
On April 5, 2017, it was announced that due to a decrease in sales, and increase in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar sales, that Life would no longer be sold and it was discontinued in June 2017. The list of ingredients is carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, and stevia.
At no time in Coca-Cola's history has that beverage been green. The original formula called for caramel to give Coca-Cola its rich brown color, and although the recipe has undergone some changes through the years, none of them affected the ultimate color of the product.
Kit Kat Bars
Free from: Artificial dyes, hydrogenated oils, and corn syrup. Contains: Gluten, dairy, and artificial flavoring.
M&M's are colored with Red 40, an artificial food dye approved by the Federal Drug Administration. In 1971, a Russian study claimed that Red No. 2, another artificial food dye, was carcinogenic. Although it was never actually proven, the FDA banned the use of the dye in 1976.
Nabisco's seasonal Winter Oreos, which have a red filling, have 31 mg of Red 40 per serving.
When it comes to sodas, the most popular in Japan has to be Ramune, it's been around for a long time and there are at least 55 flavors! Sake and green tea are other popular drinks in Japan.
Coca‑Cola Plus®, the first Coca‑Cola approved by the Japanese government as a Food of Specified Health Use (FOSHU), was introduced in 2017. The product, which contains dietary fiber, exceeded launch volume projections, increasing the value of the functional sparkling category.
It is also available in Japan, where it is still known as Cherry Coke.