Sparkling Wine

In the U.S., the legal definition of wine is based on CO2 content.
*Still wine < 3.92 g/L
*Effervescent >3.92 g/L
1 g/L = 1000 ppm.
Most still wines have 0.5 to 1.5 g/L CO2.

A wine is called sparkling if it is surcharged with carbon dioxide (not less than 5 g/L at 20°C). The "sparkle" in the wine can be perceived by the sight of bubbles rising through the liquid and a collar of foam ringing the glass, and by the faint crackling sound of the gas escaping.

Sparkling wines is a separate category of wines. They have such special characteristics as original tastes and aromas, and also fizzy and effervescence structure.

Sparkling wines can be white, rose and red (the most common are white sparklers) with different level of sweetness (from brut nature to luscious); also they can be slightly-sparkling and full sparkling.

There are four types of sparkling wines out of which
Type I: includes excess carbon dioxide produced by fermentation of residual sugar from the primary fermentation.
Type II: includes those with excess CO2 produced from malo-lactic fermentation.
Type III: is characterized by excess CO2 produced from fermentation of sugar added after the fermentation and most of the sparkling wines of the world are produced by this method.
Type IV: type IV of wine, excess CO2 is added and includes the carbonated and crackling wines. Amongst the sparkling wines, champagne is the most famous.

There are several methods of producing sparkling wine and their tax rate varies. The label must state the method of production.
 Carbonated wine
 Charmat process
 Transfer process
 Méthode Champenoise

Champagne is undoubtedly the most prestigious effervescent wine throughout the world and up to 300 millions bottles of this wine are produced per year. The traditions have made these sparkling wines symbols of lifestyle, unique and authentic symbols for any form of celebration.
Sparkling Wine

Caramel in soft drinks

Caramels are basically burnt sugar with a pleasant, slightly bitter taste. Caramel coloring is the most widely used food coloring and is found in almost every kind of industrially produced food.

There are several different types of caramels:
*Caramel color (Class I E150a), plain or spirit caramel
*Caramel color (Class II E150b), caustic sulphite caramel
*Caramel color (Class III E150c), ammonia caramel
*Caramel color (Class IV E150d) sulphite ammonia caramel

Caramel color (Class IV E150d) sulphite ammonia caramel is a group of caramels is obtained by the controlled heating of carbohydrates in the presence of both sulphites and ammonium compounds.

EU Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has established for E150d an acceptable daily intake ranging from 160 to 200 mg/kg body weight per day.

They are also known as ‘acid proof’ or ‘soft drink’ caramels and are dispersible in water and capable of withstanding high acid conditions.

With strong negative charge they are used almost exclusively in soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages. In colas, Class IV caramel is the predominant ingredient, a typical concentration being 1400 ppm.

Caramel contains compounds with reducing activity, such as 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural (HMF) and many other compounds arising from the reaction of sugars and amino compounds present in the initial mixture, like the browning derivatives from the early stages of the Mallard reaction, which give the typical color to caramel.
Caramel in soft drinks