# Coke ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569 "2001-04-27T23:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sublime1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Sublime1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublime1300)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/1 "2001-04-27T23:17:09Z")
Does anyone know what the exact recipe is for coke?(On this message board) Because the recipe is suppose to be locked up in some bank in Georgia ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/2 "2001-04-27T23:50:50Z")
coke is like coal, isn’t it? Of course I know the recipe for Coca-cola as well, but I’m not allowed to tell you. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/3 "2001-04-28T03:40:01Z")
Snopes has a possible old formula for Coca-Cola on [this page](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/formula.htm) where they discuss rumors about the formula. Of course, even if you could get the current formula, it wouldn’t do you any good. You can’t legally bring coca leaves, a main ingredient, into the US, and without them, you can’t make knockoff Coke. (I’m guessing that’s why you’d want it just because I can’t think of another practical reason why anyone would.) ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/4 "2001-04-28T04:34:46Z")
Coca Cola no longer contains coca leaves or anything related. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/5 "2001-04-28T04:46:52Z")
Jill…has Classic Coke changed it’s recipe since Poundstone’s 1983 book? ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/6 "2001-04-28T04:52:39Z")
I was just reporting the information I found at Snopes. > [@](#): > > From the previously-referenced Snopes page > Moreover, at least one of the ingredients called for in the recipe would be next to impossible to secure in the U.S. (or to bring into the country): _decocainized flavor essence of the coca leaf_. As it now stands, only Stepan Co.'s New Jersey plant possesses the necessary DEA permit to import the leaves and remove the cocaine from them. Anyone looking to reproduce the drink would have to go to Stepan to get one of the key ingredients, and Stepan would refuse to sell to them. > (Italics mine) The cocaine’s all gone, but if this is correct you would still need the coca leaves to get their decocainized flavor essence. ---
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/7 "2001-04-28T05:13:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Protesilaus \* > The cocaine’s all gone, but if this is correct you would still need the coca leaves to get their decocainized flavor essence. \*\* Wouldn’t ‘decocainized flavor essence’ be in the ingredients list on a can, or does it fall under the Natural Flavors Clause? The idea that some factory in New Jersey has a government sanctioned monopoly in ‘decocainizing’ cocaine seems ludicrous to me. Imagine what the security around that place would be. Plus, I don’t think that there is enough cocaine leaves in the world to ‘decocainize’ into the world’s Coke supply. ---
**Author:** ![Synergist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Synergist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Synergist)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/8 "2001-04-28T05:57:06Z")
It also seems strange that Stepan doesn’t mention Coke or coca leaves on its website. It’s possible, of course, that one of the food additives they list is, in fact, essence of decocainized coca leaves. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coke/63569/9 "2001-04-28T10:13:06Z")
There is probably no substance that has as much mythology about it as Coca-Cola, except maybe for cocaine. (Insert Eric Clapton riff here.) Cocaine, or more importantly, its derivatives, have legitimate medical uses and both science and industry understand that. Any company that would handle medical producs like that – including what they do with the remains of it – would naturally be under close government scrutiny. Please remember that the original formula was invented by a pharmacist and dates back to an era where these kinds of restorative drinks were commonplace. Yes, there were also a lot of unintended addicts out there too, people hooked on patent medicines and other similar products intended to give them a little “pick me up” without understanding of the pharmacology of addiction. The early original formula of Coca-Cola had more cocaine essence in it than it does today, but even by those standards you’d probably have to drink a boxcar of it to feel any effect. Your kidneys would protest long before you got your buzz on. Today it would probably take 10 boxcars. Today’s formula – which is still a secret and yes, it’s locked in a bank vault – still contains some of the essence of deionized coca leaves. Flavorings can be very subtle things and “Natural Flavors” can cover a lot of territory. Even though the formula’s a secret be sure that all the major soft drink manufacturers know exactly what goes into their competitors product. You can even find recipes for them, do a little research. I doubt you’ll be whipping up your own Fresca in your kitchen anytime soon, though. When you’re in Atlanta, come visit “The World of Coca-Cola.” It’s not a bad way to spend a couple of hours and you’ll see more Coca-Cola history than you ever knew existed. And at the end you get to sample some of Coca-Cola’s products from all over the world. It’s a big ol’ soft drink universe out there, so enjoy. your humble TubaDiva [Edited by TubaDiva on 04-28-2001 at 05:15 AM]