It was an American chemist, John Pemberton, who invented the precise ingredients of Coca Cola in 1886. Since then and for many generations until recently, the formula has been kept a closely-guarded secret, even to top level executives of the soft drink giant.
Some 20 years ago, this writer met a chemical engineer in the Philippines who was a senior executive of Coca Cola Extract Corporation. He is Dr. Eduardo Magtoto Jr. who happened to be a first cousin of my wife. He was rumoured to be the only person in Coca Cola Philippines who knew the secret formula. When I asked him about it, he politely changed the topic and walked away. I figured that he was bound to secrecy by his employment contract.
A popular belief is that only two Coca Cola executives know the formula but each of them know only half of it. Years later, it turned out to be a myth. The only official written copy is supposedly held in a U.S. bank vault and only two company employees at any one time are said to know the whole formula that gives the drink its unique flavour.
Today, 126 years after the drink was invented by Pemberton, the list of ingredients can be found in the website
The website shows a photograph of the recipe which is claimed to be an exact duplicate of what was invented by John Pemberton.
The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
Using the above recipe, those among our readers might want to try making their own Coca Cola. I haven’t tried it. I am no cook nor chemist. But I have asked my wife to subject me to a taste test.
Blindfolded, I asked her to pour Coke in one glass and in another glass the same quantity of Pepsi. I couldn’t identify which is which. Maybe there is something wrong with my taste buds but to me, both drinks taste exactly the same. Try it.