Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Gatorade Regular vs Zero

Briefly introduce your food products (Optional)

In this assignment, we will be comparing the regular and zero sugar versions of the cool blue flavor of Gatorade. Differences in ingredient lists will be discussed, as well as their effects on each formula.

Post pictures (Mandatory)

The two bottles of Gatorade sitting together

The nutrition facts of the regular Gatorade

The nutrition facts of the zero sugar Gatorade

Ingredient lists (4 points)

1. Type out the lists of ingredients
2. Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
3. Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
   • Gatorade blue:
     • Sugar substitutes:
       • None
     • Fat substitutes:
       • None
     • Sugars (not substitutes, just noting since it's a common point of confusion):
       • Sugar (sucrose) - standard table sugar, the primary sweetener
       • Dextrose - a simple sugar (glucose) often added alongside sucrose in sports drinks for a quicker-absorbing carbohydrate source
     • Additives:
       • Citric acid - adds tartness and helps preserve the product by lowering pH
       • Natural and artificial flavor - flavoring blend combining both natural and synthetic flavor compounds
       • Salt - seasoning and electrolyte replacement (sodium)
       • Sodium citrate - buffers acidity, keeping tartness consistent; also contributes sodium
       • Monopotassium phosphate - a source of potassium (electrolyte) and phosphorus. It also acts as a buffering agent to stabilize pH, and is commonly used specifically in sports drinks for this purpose
       • Modified food starch - thickener/stabilizer for texture
       • Glycerol ester of rosin (ester gum) - emulsifier/weighting agent that keeps citrus flavor oils evenly suspended, capped at 100 ppm of the finished beverage under FDA rules
       • Blue 1 - synthetic food dye, certified batch-by-batch under FDA regulation
   • Gatorade Blue Zero:
     • Fat substitutes:
       • None
     • Sugar substitutes:
       • Sucralose - artificial sweetener, 600 times sweeter than sugar, passes through the body largely unmetabolized so it's essentially calorie-free
       • Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) - artificial sweetener, about 200 times sweeter than sugar, fast-hitting but slightly bitter alone, so it's usually blended with sucralose to smooth out the taste
     • Additives
       • Citric acid - natural-ish acid that adds tartness and helps preserve the product by lowering pH
       • Sodium citrate - buffers acidity so the tartness stays consistent. It also contributes sodium
       • Salt - basic seasoning and electrolyte replacement
       • Potassium phosphate - electrolyte source, also helps stabilize pH
       • Modified food starch - thickener that gives the drink body and helps keep ingredients evenly mixed
       • Mixed triglycerides - emulsifier that helps disperse flavor oils evenly through the water
       • Glycerol ester of rosin (ester gum) - emulsifier/weighting agent that keeps citrus flavor oils suspended so they don't float or separate
       • Blue 1 - synthetic food dye for color
       • Natural flavor - proprietary flavoring blend, source unspecified
4. Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

Similarities and Differences

Most of the ingredients used in regular blue Gatorade and Gatorade Zero are the same. The two products have water, citric acid, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, modified corn starch, ester gum, and brilliant blue FCF. The protein and potassium contents of the products are the same, sitting at 0 g and 100 mg, respectively.

The modified corn starch and ester gum both serve as emulsifiers and stabilizers by preventing the drink's flavouring oils from separating from the water through amphiphilic properties and thickening. This gives both products a consistent and slightly viscous liquid texture. Monopotassium phosphate serves as a source of electrolytes, and Brilliant Blue FCF is used to give both products a blue colour. Combining citric acid and sodium citrate gives the drinks a pleasantly mild tartness while regulating their pH balance.

The primary difference between the products is where the sweetness comes from. Gatorade Zero uses Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium, while regular Gatorade uses Sucrose and glucose (dextrose is the commercial name for glucose). Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium, as low-calorie sugar substitutes, have significantly greater sweetness intensities compared to Sucrose and Glucose at the same amounts. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium are 600 and 200 times sweeter than Sucrose, respectively. Glucose is roughly 80% as sweet as Sucrose. The indigestibility of Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium allows Gatorade Zero to taste sweet while having zero calories, which is significantly lower than the number of calories in regular Gatorade. The 170 calories in regular Gatorade are fully attributed to its 41 g of sucrose and glucose.

Another difference is the absence of Sodium Benzoate in Gatorade Zero. In low pH environments, Sodium Benzoate acts as a highly effective antimicrobial agent. Regular Gatorade, containing a large proportion of citric acid, has a low pH, making Sodium Benzoate a suitable ingredient for preventing spoilage and the microbial growth of acid-tolerant bacteria. Gatorade Zero does not use Sodium Benzoate because it lacks sugar content. In regular Gatorade, sugar serves as a primary food source for bacteria. The lack of sugar in Gatorade Zero removes the need for chemical preservatives.

Gatorade Zero uses natural flavours, while regular Gatorade uses natural and artificial flavours.

Labels (1 points)

The information on the labels is presented in the table below.

	Regular	Zero
Front Label	Flavour (Cool Blue) Product Name (Scientifically Formulated Sports Drink) Logo (Large G with Gatorade brand name next to it) Number of Calories (170) Net Quantity (710 mL) Health Canada High in sticker (High in sugars)	Flavour (Cool Blue) Product Name (Electrolyte Beverage*) Logo (smaller) Large text saying ZERO, and text below indicating ZERO SUGAR Number of Calories (10) Net Quantity (710 mL)
Back Label	Same information as front label, in French.	Same information as front label, in French.
Nutrition Label	Serving size Calories Fat Carbohydrate Sugars Protein Sodium Potassium % Daily value + explanation Ingredients	Serving size Calories Fat Carbohydrate Sugars Protein Sodium Potassium Chloride % Daily value + explanation "Not a significant source of saturated fat, trans fat, fibre, cholesterol, calcium, or iron" Ingredients
Other Information	Contains a section: "Fluids to help REHYDRATE. Electrolytes to help REPLENISH what's lost in sweat. Carbs to help REFUEL muscles. Helps maintain normal water and electrolyte balance. Carbohydrates provide energy." Return for refund where applicable Refrigerate after opening Address of PepsiCo Canada Trademark information Toll-free phone number for questions Gatorade website Bottled in Canada	*ELECTROLYTES PER 710 mL SERVING: 320mg SODIUM, 225 mg CHLORIDE, 100 mg POTASSIUM Refrigerate after opening Address of PepsiCo Canada Trademark information Toll-free phone number for questions Gatorade website

Both labels adhere to the food labelling guidelines set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The common name is present, and printed in large enough font and in bold face type. The net quantity is present, in metric units, is rounded to 3 figures, and follow the text requirements. A list of ingredients is present. We cannot prove that the ingredients are in descending order of proportion by weight. They use an appropriate common name. The location of the list of ingredients is displayed appropriately. The presentation of the list of ingredients follows the CFIA guidelines as required. The name and principal place of business is present. A "best before" date is not required. A "packaged on" date is not required. Storage instructions are present and complete. No expiration date is required. A nutrition Facts table is present and adheres by the guidelines. All mandatory information is provided in English and French.

References

Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

Note: Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in Wikipedia: Writing better articles.

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.