[Avodah] Coca Cola

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Wed, Nov 02, 2016 at 03:14:34PM -0400, Sholom Simon via Avodah wrote:
:> If they say that Coca Cola is okay and that is a guarded secret...
: 
: Oh, but a rabbi _did_ see the formula, and even got the company to
: change it!!
: 
: See, e.g., http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Kashering_Coke.html

To quote, though:

        At the time, Rabbi [Tobias] Geffen did not know that the formula for
        Coca-Cola is a closely guarded trade secret; however, once Rabbi
        Geffen inquired, the Coca-Cola Company made a corporate decision to
        allow him access to the list of ingredients in Coke’s secret
        formula provided he swore to keep them in utter secrecy. Geffen
        agreed to the terms. The company did not tell Geffen the exact
        proportions of each ingredient, but just gave him a list of contents
        by name.

To be precise, he did not get the formula, which would include quantities,
or how they are mixed (eg order, any use of heat, etc...) Just the
list of what went in.

(In other countries, the local plant may use a different sweeter -- as
we in the US know from KLP and Mexican Coke -- and may change quantity.
Water supply can also change flavor.)

As a thread, this would go on Areivim. I just figured it would likely
remain this one post and not worth the switchover.

FWIW, RTG had them switch from using glycerin derive from beef tallow
to a vegetable source.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When memories exceed dreams,
micha at aishdas.org        The end is near.
http://www.aishdas.org                   - Rav Moshe Sherer
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