PepsiCo has announced the transformation of its popular US lemon lime soda, Sierra Mist, into a beverage with entirely natural ingredients, Sierra Mist Natural. PepsiCo has removed preservatives and artificial flavours from the drink, sweetening it with sugar (as opposed to the widely-used high fructose corn syrup or HCFS, an almost ubiquitous sweetener in the US and subject of a number of health-related inquiries). “New Sierra Mist Natural has been stripped of everything artificial and is naturally... ...Read more »

New research from the US suggests that children who otherwise practice healthy life habits – eating fruits and vegetables, and engaging in physical activity – are also the largest consumers of flavoured, sweetened ‘sports’ beverages – a habit that could lead to annual weight gain of up to 4.5kg. Assistant professor of behavioural sciences Dr Nalini Ranjit, of the University of Texas, said the problem is one of association. “Children and parents associate these... ...Read more »

UK groery chain Waitrose is trying a novel approach to reducing their carbon footprint by adding a Bakewell tart smell to its refrigeration gases. The cherry Bakewell scent – cherry and almond – is used in the HFC (hydro fluorocarbon) gases in fridges, which have a high global warming potential if leaked. The distinctive smell means any leaks would be immediately ‘sniffed out’, helping to cut the retailer’s environmental impact. Waitrose hopes the new initiative will... ...Read more »

The Coca-Cola Company and its bottling partners have announced that a major greenhouse gas (hydrofluorocarbon) will be eliminated from all of their new vending machines and coolers by 2015. Coca-Cola said they would use their scale to aggregate demand and encourage supply as a means of accelerating the transition to HFC-free refrigeration equipment. “This announcement is a direct result of work with Greenpeace that began in 2000, and a demonstration that phasing out the use of HFCs is a tangible... ...Read more »

A pilot program to test an all-natural refrigeration system in Pepsi-Cola vending machines begins this month in the US. Under the new program, The Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) is placing 30 Pepsi-Cola vending machines in high-consumer traffic areas in the Washington, D.C. area. The machines, which feature the new Pepsi logo along with a special green refrigerant sticker, use less energy and generate 12% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than current vending machines. In addition to their energy efficiency... ...Read more »