Course:FNH200/Assignments/2024/Red Bull vs Red Bull Sugar Free

Red Bull Original vs Red Bull Sugar Free

Ingredient lists (4 points)

1.Type out the lists of ingredients

Red Bull Original	Red Bull Sugar Free
Carbonated water Sugar Glucose-fructose Citric acid Taurine Sodium bicarbonate Magnesium carbonate Caffeine Niacin Pantothenate Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Artificial flavor Color	Carbonated water   Citric acid Taurine Sodium bicarbonate Magnesium carbonate Caffeine Sucralose (38 mg/250 mL) Acesulfame-potassium (20 mg/250 mL) Niacin Pantothenate Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Xanthan gum Artificial flavor Color

2. Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any

Red bull Original

Fat substitutes

• No fat substitute.  

Sugar substitutes

• It contains sugar.  

Additives  

• Citric acid  

• Sodium bicarbonate  

• Magnesium carbonate  

• Caffeine  

• Color
• Artificial flavor

Red Bull Sugar Free  

Fat substitutes

• No fat substitute

Sugar substitutes

• Sucralose  

• Acesulfame-potassium  

Additives  

• Citric acid  

• Sodium bicarbonate  

• Magnesium carbonate  

• Caffeine

• Xanthan gum  

• Color
• Artificial flavor

The Sugar and Glucose-fructose in Red Bull Original have been replaced by the sweeteners, Acesulfame-potassium and sucralose, in Red Bull Sugar Free. Xanthan gum is an addition to the Red Bull Sugar Free other than citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, caffeine, color and artificial flavor.  

3. Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product

Acesulfame-potassium is also known as acesulfame-K or Ace K, which is a synthetic calorie-free sugar substitute. Acesulfame-K contributes to 0 Cal/g because it is not metabolized by the human body after consumption. Acesulfame-K is 200 times sweeter than sucrose so a small amount of it is needed for the same sweetness as sucrose provided. Acesulfame-K is commonly added to carbonate beverages as a food additive, and it is used as a sweetener according to Food and Drug Regulation. Acesulfame-K is stable in high temperature and a wide range of pH. Acesulfame-K does not contribute to cavity development because oral bacteria does not ferment it. One 250 mL can of Red Bull Sugar Free contains 20 mg acesulfame-K and the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of acesulfame-K is 15 mg/kg body weight. Therefore, people with an average body weight of 60 kg need to consume 45 cans (250 mL/can) to reach the ADI.  

Sucralose is a synthetic non-caloric sweetener which is chlorinated by replacing 3 hydroxyl groups with chlorine. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter compared to sucrose and contributes to 0 Cal/g because it is not metabolized in the human body. Sucralose is stable under high temperatures. People living with diabetes can consume sucralose because it does not increase blood sugar or insulin levels. Sucralose is commonly added to beverages as a food additive, and it is used as a sweetener according to Food and Drug Regulation. One 250 mL can of Red Bull Sugar Free contains 38 mg sucralose. The ADI of sucralose is 8.8-9.0 mg/kg body weight. Therefore, people with an average body weight of 60 kg need to consume 14 cans (250 mL/can) to reach the ADI.  

Caffeine is used as a food additive for cola type beverages, and it is categorized under miscellaneous food additives. Caffeine blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that makes us sleepy, increasing our alertness, keeping us awake and more energetic.  

Citric acid is an organic acid, which is commonly used as a pH adjusting agent and preservative. Citric acid acidifies the soft drink by lowering the pH, which helps inhibit the growth of bacteria. Citric acid also enhances the flavor of the soft drink by adding a tart flavor to balance the sweetness to make it more palatable.  

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) is commonly known as baking soda. It serves as an aerating agent to produce carbon dioxide gas for effervescence when reacting with acids. It is a weak base with a slightly bitter or alkaline taste. Acidic balancer like citric acid above is required to adjust the acidic or alkaline level as a buffer. While sodium bicarbonate acts as an aerating agent, the amount of usage should be under good manufacturing practice. In addition, study predicts that sodium bicarbonate enhances athletic performance by increasing blood buffering capacity and attenuating skeletal muscle fatigue.

Magnesium carbonate is an inorganic salt used in Red Bull to give it a sour taste. It acts as an antacid, to neutralize stomach acid and maintains the pH balance. In addition, it acts as a source of magnesium which supports muscle functions and the metabolism of energy. The ADI for magnesium is around 310 to 420 mg and one 250 mL of Red Bull contains about 3 mg of magnesium. So, consumers should ensure they don’t exceed the recommended intake.

Xanthan gum is created by simple sugar that's fermented by the bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris. It is a commonly used food addition, and it is an effective thickening agent and stabilizer that prevents ingredients from separating. It can also act as a suspending agent in food suspensions. Moreover, it can help certain foods withstand different temperatures and pH levels. Studies found that Xanthan gum may have health benefits such as lowering our cholesterol and blood sugar when consumed in larger amounts, although the high intake doses can also cause the risk of digestive issues to increase. Many foods contain Xanthan gum, it only makes up about 0.05–0.3% of a food product. Although the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives assigned it an acceptable daily intake of "not specified." Studies believe that it is hard to achieve high intake through regular diets.   

4. Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

Red Bull Original and Red Bull Sugar Free both contain the same main ingredients of carbonated water, taurine, niacin, pantothenate, vitamin B6 and B12, artificial flavor, and color. They also almost have the same additives which are citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, caffeine, color, and artificial flavor.

The primary difference between the two lies in the sweeteners and calorie content. Red Bull Original uses natural sugars (sucrose and glucose-fructose) and Red Bull Sugar free uses artificial sweeteners (Sucralose and Acesulfame-potassium). Also Red Bull Sugar Free has one more additive, that is Xanthan gum. In addition, Red Bull Original has around 110 calories, in contrast to 10 calories in Red Bull Sugar Free, when looking at 250 ml cans.

To conclude, Red Bull Original has more calories and sugars compared to Red Bull Sugar Free. So, for those with diabetes or want to eat lower calories whilst still wanting to get a boost of energy, they should opt for the Red Bull Sugar Free. And for those who don’t want artificial sweeteners and don’t mind the extra sugars and calories, they should go for the Red Bull Original.  

Labels (1 points)

1. Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels

Products	Red Bull Original	Red Bull Sugar Free
Bilingual Labelling	The information on the can is written in both English and French
Common Name of the food	Red Bull Energy Drink	Red Bull Energy Drink, Sugar Free
Country of Origin	Austria Imported by a company in Toronto, Ontario
Date Marking and Storage instructions Durable life	The best before date is located on the bottom of the can. There are no storage instructions.
Identity and Principal Place of Business	Fuschl am See, Austria
Irradiated foods	N/A
Legibility and location	It is available in over 175 countries, but the ingredients are different based on local regulations.
List of ingredients (in descending order of proportion)	Carbonated water Sugar Glucose-fructose Citric acid Taurine Sodium bicarbonate Magnesium carbonate Caffeine Niacin Pantothenate Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Artificial flavor Color	Carbonated water   Citric acid Taurine Sodium bicarbonate Magnesium carbonate Caffeine Sucralose (38 mg/250 mL) Acesulfame-potassium (20 mg/250 mL) Niacin Pantothenate Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Xanthan gum Artificial flavor Color
Net quantity of the food	250 mL Also available in 355 mL and 473 mL.
Sweeteners	No sweeteners are used as sugar and glucose-fructose.	Sucralose, acesulfame-potassium

2. Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

After research, we have found that both the Red Bull Original and Red Bull Sugar Free cans have not complied with the regulatory requirements. The labels of both Red Bull Original and Red Bull Sugar Free include bilingual labelling, common name of the food, net quantity, name of business, ingredient list, and nutrition label. Every category is met except the food color and artificial flavor. Since it’s not declared by their specific common name in the list of ingredients, it does not comply with the requirements.

Personal Choice (5 points)

Will submit individually on Canvas.

References

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.