Carbohydrate content and caloric values of carbonated soft drinks

The concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose in selected carbonated soft drinks were determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sugar-free drinks did not contain glucose, fructose or sucrose; two calorie-reduced drinks were sweetened mainly with fructose; one regular drink contained mainly sucrose and the remaining beverages were sweetened mainly by equal amounts of glucose and fructose. HPLC provides a rapid and reproducible means of determining carbohydrates in soft drinks.Bomb calorimetry data revealed one calorie-reduced soft drink that contained more than 50% of the calories normally found in the corresponding regular drink. Caloric values calculated from total sugar content were within 10% of values obtained by combustion.