1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
The term soft drink (Coca Cola) was originated to distinguish non-alcoholic beverage from hard liquor or spirits. Soft drink is non-alcoholic carbonated or non-carbonated beverages usually, containing a sweetening agent, edible acids, natural or artificial flavour. Soft drinks include cola beverages, fruit flavoured drink, and root beer (Riley, 1990).
The adjective “soft” specifies a “lack of alcohol by way of contrast to the term “hard drink”. The word drink, while nominally neutral, sometimes carries connotations of alcoholic content. Beverages like colas flavoured water, sparkling water, sweet tea, lemonade, squash and fruit punch are among the common’ types of soft drinks’, while hot chocolate, hot tea, milk and milk shakes do not ‘fall into this classification. Many carbonated soft drinks are optionally available in version sweetened with sugars or with non-calorie sweeteners. It should also be noted that carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda, soda pop, coke, cola or tonic in various parts of the world.
In May, 1886, coca cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta Georgia. John Pemberton concocted the coca cola formula in a three – legged brass little in his backyard. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton’s book-keeper Frank Robinson. Frank was the first man who scripted “coca cola” into letters which has become the famous logo of today. The soft drink was first sold to the public at the soda fountains in Jacobs’ Pharmacy in Atlanta May 8, 1886. Until 1905, the soft drink contained extracts of cocaine as caffeine rich kola nut (Rossant, 2005).
The beverage market is the main use of high potency sweetener after a fast growing between 1983 and 1990. The market for low calorie soft drink has recently shown signs of slowing down. However, diet sales showed 992% and 2.6% growth in 1990 and 1991, respectively, (Maxwell, 1992).
The growth was aided by factors including the increase in advertising activity, the introduction of new products and packaging arid better economic conditions, the hot and humid weather experienced in Nigeria, for most of 2005, also boosted soft drinks sales. Many Nigerians consume about 2-8. Bottles a day and remain unaware of the health implications of their actions (Oluwande, 1997).
The benefits and demands for soft drinks in Nigeria have risen in recent years for dehydration and social activities. These coupled with water scarcity, especially in developing countries, due to drought, unavoidable hydrological factors, conflicts, ignorance and aggressive promotion mounted persistently by manufactures, often with enticing rewards are largely responsible for excessive consumption of Soft drinks with little or no regards to the health implications associated with it (Escheat, 1980). Whereas the production of soft drinks and other beverages is governed by ethical codes and standard to ensure that potential hazard, especially those of bacterial origins are eliminated (Maunder, 2006). The overwhelming desire to maximize profit at all cost leads to sub-standard products which could be detrimental to the health of consumers (Oranusi et al, 1994).
Often recycled bottles may not be properly sterile and there could be collection of debris or sediment of finished products. In some instances, whole or parts insects and other organisms have been recovered from of the soft drinks, causing serious psychological trauma and the possibility of food poisoning in consumers.In August 2006, after a controversial report about the presence of pesticides in soft drinks sold in India many state governments have issued a ban on the sale of soft drinks in schools (Majumder, 2006). Food borne diseases represents one of the most widespread and overwhelming “public health problems of the modern world (WHO, 2000).
1.2 Statement of Problems
Investigation reveals the problems of the bacteria in coca cola soft drink research work;
- A lot of people suffer from diabetes as a result of excessive coca cola intake,
- Insufficient information relating to the Proximate Analysis of coca cola Determination of Moisture Content
- Inadequate analysis of microbiological content of coca cola.
- Insufficient bacteria isolation information centered for coca cola soft drinks.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the bacteria in coca cola. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were set out as follows;
- To determine the bacterial load of contaminated coca cola soft drink sold in Port Harcourt,
- To isolate the contaminating bacteria in the coca cola soft drinks, and
- To identify bacteria of medical importance in soft drinks sold in Port Harcourt.
1.4 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the bacteria in coca cola which comprises the identification and isolate the contaminating bacteria in the coca cola soft drinks.
1.5 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials.
1.6 Significance of Study
The benefits and demands for soft drinks in Nigeria have risen in recent years for dehydration and social activities. These coupled with water scarcity, especially in developing countries, due to drought, unavoidable hydrological factors, conflicts, ignorance and aggressive promotion mounted persistently by manufactures, often with enticing rewards are largely responsible for excessive consumption of Soft drinks with little or no regards to the health implications associated with it (Escheat, 1980). Whereas the production of Coca Cola (Coke) is governed by ethical codes and standard to ensure that potential hazard, especially those of bacterial origins are eliminated (Maunder, 2006).
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