Why Do Many Beverages Include Wood Rosin?
One of the most ominous sounding ingredients in a fruit-flavored beverage is glycerol ester of wood rosin. Indeed, there is actually a trace of real wood rosin in many citrus-flavored sodas and other fruit drinks. There is a perfectly good explanation for the presence of wood rosin, and it has to do with the age-old idea that oil and water do not mix. In order to achieve a pleasing and authentic fruit flavor in a water-based beverage, manufacturers often use flavoring oils derived from citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons or limes. These flavoring oils are very concentrated, and must be balanced out with sweeteners before a beverage becomes palatable. The problem is that fruit oils do not mix well with carbonated water or even natural fruit juices. The flavoring oils would simply float on top of the beverage, even after vigorous stirring or mixing.
