MONNELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER, PA, USA. Carbonated drinks give you that distinctive “bite” not necessarily because of the bubbles in it. Researchers recently revealed that the bubbles in most carbonated drinks could only enhance the carbonation’s bite when we gulp the liquid down. Perhaps carbonated drinks are an integral part of beverages consumed all over the world on a daily basis. Carbonated drinks are made by dissolving carbon dioxide in any type of liquid under high pressure. This is how it is done through production processes. Yes, that is how your favorite carbonated drink is made. Certain naturally carbonated drinks are spring waters or even beer which is a fermented beverage.

Once you open a bottle or can of carbonated beverage, the pressure is reduced and some of the carbon dioxide in it is released from the mixture in the form of bubble. The remaining free carbon dioxide in your drink turns into carbonic acid after a sip because of the enzymes in your mouth. The sensory nerve endings are then activated by the acid which causes the state which we refer to as the “bite” in our carbonated drinks. Thus, the bubble in our drinks should not be blamed for the “bite” because it never was responsible for it.

To support the facts, some tests were conducted and researchers were able to prove that volunteers experienced the same bite in their drinks even when there were no bubbles present. It also clearly shows that the carbonation bite we experience when we drink carbonated drinks is an acidic chemical sensation rather than a physical sensation.

Doctor Bruce Byant of the Monell Chemical Senses Center is the author of the study. He also added that in another test, they were able to prove that the bubble in carbonated drinks only increases the bite sensation in any carbonated beverage. Right now, Doctor Byant is working on more experiments to explore the interactions between chemical and mechanical stimuli.