Water

Soda refers most commonly to soda water, which is a drink made by dissolving carbon dioxide into water under pressure, making it sparkling. The name soda comes from sodium salts and other regulators to deliver a taste similar to mineral water (the process of adding carbon dioxide to water forms an acid, carbonic acid. To reduce the acidity, alkaline salts such as sodium bicarbonate are added, hence the name.

Tonic water, also known as Indian tonic water, is a carbonated drink containing quinine. The drink has its origins as a malaria prophylaxis (hence ‘Indian’) but now has a significantly lower quinine content and is drunk for its distinctively bitter taste. The original medicinal tonic water originally contained only carbonated water and a large amount of quinine. Nowadays, however, modern tonic water nowadays contains considerably less quinine, and lends only flavour and no medicinal benefit.

Non-alcoholic beverages are a diverse group of products, including carbonated drinks, still and dilutable drinks, fruit juices, nectars and bottled waters. Some contain sugar, others contain non-caloric sweeteners and yet others are unsweetened. And even the sugar levels of beverages containing sugar vary considerably from one beverage to another. The same goes for energy content, with many non-alcoholic beverages having only a negligible calorie value. In other words, non-alcoholic beverages cannot be classified as one homogenous group. 

Water is a key resource for non-alcoholic beverages.    Water represents some 90% of a carbonated soft drink – even more in low calorie versions – and our products make an important contribution to hydrating consumers.

The industry recognises the value of water in local societies and seeks to constantly reduce the amount of water it uses in production and to optimise that use by recycling water as much as possible.  We also work hard to protect watersheds and conserve water.
 

In order to conserve water used in the production of soft drinks UNESDA members recycle much of the water used in the production of their products.  Water from production processes such as cooling and rinsing is reused internally for the cleaning of crates and trucks, for the washing of floors and even for watering the landscape.

UNESDA members are committed to treating wastewater and ensuring that all the water used in manufacturing processes is returned safely to the environment at a quality that supports fish and plant life.

The non-alcoholic beverages industry constantly seeks to reduce the amount of water it uses in the production of its products.  The amount of water used to produce a beverage is known as the ‘water ratio’, and is one of the industry’s main environmental Key Performance Indicators.