With caffeine-free pepsi/soda, do they remove the caffeine or leave it out?

Question

Is there any reason the caffeine-free version should taste different?

Answer 1

Kola nuts (or beans), the traditional flavoring for colas, naturally contain some caffeine. But cola manufacturers use an extract or a chemical flavoring to produce their products' taste. The caffeine in the Ingredients List of soft drinks is added as part of the manufacturing process, although there might still be very small quantities of naturally-occurring caffeine already in the product. (de-caf coffee, for example, has had the caffeine naturally removed, but there's still a small amount of caffeine in de-caf)

Caffeine itself is colorless, odorless and flavorless, so the absence of it shouldn't affect the taste of a soft drink (or coffee, for that matter).

Answer 2

It tastes different because caffeine has a sharp bitter taste to it and removing it makes it blander and more watery. Caffeine DEFINITELY does have a taste to it. Try Wikipedia or search caffeine on here....

Stick with caffeinated pop. It really doesn't have that much caffeiene.

Answer 3

i don't know why it taste different but my guess is when making the soda they just leave out the caffeine. i think it would be too hard to remove it later. good luck with this though.

Answer 4

zero diet Pepsi, but i think there is a different in taste, but becare full stay a way from pop that has aspertain or splenda they give you memery lost and blindness in years away

Answer 5

It's not as complex a process as it seems. certain additives that will keep you awake that also have favorable qualities in terms of flavor are replaced with substitutes.

so in essence, nothing is removed, certain ingredients are just swaped out.

Answer 6

it's arguable. but they just leave the caffine out and try to replace the taste with different chemicals.