ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the content of sucrose, glucose, total sugar, and pH in a range of popular contemporary Japanese soft drinks and compare their changes in different periods. METHODS: The pH value and content of sucrose and glucose of popular Japanese soft drinks were determined, and this study's results were compared with the previous data of beverages in 1978, 1981, 1985, and 1997. RESULTS: Coffee drinks showed the highest content of sucrose, while carbonated diet drinks showed the lowest. Energy drinks showed the highest content of glucose and total sugar, while carbonated diet drinks showed the lowest. Coffee and energy drinks showed the highest and lowest pH levels, respectively. The total sugar content of a soft drink has remained unchanged over the years, but the sucrose content of soft drinks has decreased over the years. CONCLUSIONS: All drinks showed pH values below 7, with a very wide variety of sugar content; sugar content of soft drinks has generally decreased since the 1980s in Japan.
