An online video, in which a chemistry teacher produces a juice beverage by mixing various additives with water, has spread quickly since Sunday across microblog websites, Guangzhou Daily reports.

A chemistry teacher produces a juice beverage by mixing various additives with water in class on Sunday, May 13, 2012. [Photo / Guangzhou Daily]

The video shows a special chemistry class in which a teacher demonstrates the process of making juice through mixing certain additives with water. The lesson aimed to inform students about the process of creating certain beverages.

The teacher added tartrazine into a half filled bottle of water which caused the water to change color instantly. The teacher explained that this process is used in the production of some tea drinks available within the market. The teacher then added carmine to the mixture, which lead to the beverage turning a rose color.

Two different kinds of sweetener were then added to the mixture, along with citric acid to make the beverage taste sweet. Finally, the teacher added peach flavored juice and pectin to give the impression that the "drink" was freshly squeezed juice.

After watching the video, many netizens left messages claiming that the so-called freshly squeezed juice beverages sold on the market are actually mixtures of a number of different additives. Some netizens even claimed that they would stop drinking such beverages.

As the reporter observed, many of the major brands which produce juice beverages employ the slogan "made from freshly squeezed fruits"; though the ingredient list contains various additives.

An industry insider stated online that the real juice content in such beverages is actually very low.

Sun Baoguo, vice-chancellor with the Beijing Technology and Business University stated the addition of certain additives allows foods to taste good and be preserved easily. He emphasized that it is impossible for people to avoid additives completely.