1.1 Introduction
Sugar is the generalized name for a class of sweet-flavoured substances used as food. They are carbohydrates and as this name implies, sugars are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. The simple sugars are called monosaccharide and they include glucose also know as dextrose, fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used in food such as non alcoholic beverages coca Cola, Amstel malt etc. Sucrose is a disaccharide. Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Sugars are found in the tissues of most plant but are only present in sufficient concentration for efficient extraction in sugar cane and sugar beet. The major plant source of sugar is sugar cane, sugar cane is a giant grass and has been cultivated in the tropical climate in the far East since ancient times. A great expansion in its production takes place in the 18th century with the setting up of sugar plantation in the West Indies and Americas. This was the first time the sugar become available to the common people to sweeten foods. Sugar beet is a root crop and is cultivated in cooler climate and become a major source of sugar in the 19th Century, when method for extraction of the sugar become available lovely (Kenneth, 2001).
Sugar has been produced in the India since ancient times. It was not plentiful or cheap in early times and honey was often used for sweetening in most part of the world. Originally people chew raw sugar cane to extract its sweetens or sugar (Andrew, 2003).
Sugar cane was a native of tropical south Asia and Southeast Asia. Different species seems to have originated from different location with Sacherun barbari originating in India and S. educe and S. officnarum coming from New Guinea (Joseph et al, 2001) sugar remained relatively important until the India discovered methods of forming sugar cane juice into granulated crystal that were easier to store and transport, from place to place (Ababio, 2003) crystallized sugar was discovered by the time of the imperial Guptal, around 5th century AD. Indian sailor, who carried clarified butter and sugar as supplied, introduced knowledge of sugar on the various trade rout they travel (Joseph et al 2001).
The first inventor of a process to make sugar in cube form was Moravian, “Jakul Krystor Red” director of sugar company in Dacice whose sugar cube production began when he was granted a fire-year patent for the invention on January 23, 1843, Henry Tate of Tate and lyle was another manufacturer of sugar cube at his refineries in Liverpool and London. Tate purchased a patent for sugar cube manufacture from Germen “Eugen Langer” who had invented a different method of processing sugar cube in 1872.
In May, 1886, soft drink 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 “soft drink” 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).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Sugar Content Analysis Per 10ml of Liquid Fayrouz, Coca Cola, Guinness Malt, Amstel Malt, and Pepsi Drink.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that different forms of disease such as diabetes has been linked to over consumption of some beverages such as Amstel Malt, Pepsi, Coca Cole and farouz, this has necessitate the need for a project work to be carried out on the determination of sugar content of some of the beverage mentioned.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to analyze the Sugar Content Per 10ml of Liquid Fayrouz, Coca Cola, Guinness Malt, Amstel Malt, and Pepsi Drink. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To assess the quantity of sugar added to soft drinks in Nigeria; and
- To determine the sugar content in five commonly consumed fruit flavoured drinks sourced from markets in the study area.
1.5 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Sugar Content Analysis Per 10ml of Liquid Fayrouz, Coca Cola, Guinness Malt, Amstel Malt, and Pepsi Drink.
1.7 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.
- 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, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
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