Quality Assessment of Commonly Consumed Drinks by Children

This study assessed the quality of five children’s drinks: Drink A, Drink B, Drink C, Drink D, Drink E by conducting Qualitative Analysis, Physicochemical Analysis, and Heavy Metal Determination. Qualitative Analysis confirmed the universal presence of reducing sugars and sucrose across all samples, categorizing them as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and the universal absence of alcohol. Only Drink C was positive for carbon dioxide. The Physicochemical Analysis revealed sample variability, with density ranging from 0.8832 gm/ml (Drink C) to 1.0218 gm/ml (Drink E) and a pH range of 4.7 ± 0.153 (Drink C) to 6.1 ± 0.200 (Drink D). The presence of sugar in all selected samples and low pH in some samples raise concerns regarding dental health. Heavy metals determination using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) showed that Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, and Nickel concentrations were generally low and in compliance with established regulatory standards. However, Lead (Pb) levels, ranging from 0.008 to 0.016 ppm, were alarming, with the Drink C sample found to be at/slightly above the maximum permissible limit of 0.015 ppm set by USEPA. The presence of lead at this concentration in a child's drink constitutes a serious public health concern, necessitating stricter quality control and regulatory enforcement.