By Sreekumar Raghavan
Coke always makes headline news, thanks to its status as a world’s largest beverage company that claims to record 1.6 billion servings per day of its 500 brands in 200 nations. The making and ingredients of coke still remains a closely guarded secret. Coke beverages were banned by some countries in campuses and some of its factories had to be closed down due to environmental reasons as has happened in Plachimada in Palakad district in Kerala. Whatever, the brickbats thrown against the brand and the company, it continues to report strong global performance.

And you thought, coke is a fun drink containing carbohydrates and caffeine just to lift your spirits? Recently, coke was in the news following widespread media reports that a Nokia mobile phone apparently runs on Coca Cola. A report in CRN.com.au said that details of a Coca Cola-powered mobile phone were recently published by Chinese designer Daizi Zheng. On her site, Zheng claimed "all that is required is a small supply of a sugary drink... Bio-batteries are fully biodegradable and have, on a single charge, a potential life-span three to four times longer than conventional lithium batteries."

How can you not believe it? Perhaps, all of us have heard Coke is used as an excellent industrial cleaner and is used by hospitals to keep catheters clean and US police reportedly use it to wash blood off the road. The ingredient in Coke that enables it is most likely phosphoric acid. CRN.com.au quoted Adam Best, a scientist from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)stating that the Zheng's battery most likely makes use of the phosphoric acid in Coke, which also makes the soft drink an excellent industrial cleaner.

Buy and sell commodities online

Now you may conclude Coke will never be out of demand even if consumers stop gulping it to quench their thirst or use the fizz in it to raise their spirits. But Coca Cola hasn’t responded to any of these multiple uses of the beverage now spread through word of mouth and media reports. It is understandable, because being a food and beverage company, it shouldn’t be promoting its products for any use other than in food industry.

If 19th century saw the revolution in coal, the 21st century is seeing a revolution in biofuels. Just about any food stuff is sufficient for  creating energy—wheat, soybean, corn, sugar apart from non-edibles like Jatropha. After all they contain energy, otherwise, why should we consume it?

Now if Phoshphoric acid is the agent that helps create energy in Coke there are several other candidates who can create better energy. The Coke website says sparkling beverages contain lesser amount of phosphorous than many other foods and beverages we use daily. When Coca-Cola classic contains 41 mg of phosphorous per 8 ounce serving, milk contains 228 mg per 8 ounce and peanuts contain 288 mg per ½ cup serving. Perhaps, Daizi Zheng can think of these food products also to create energy to power mobile phones and laptops.

A coke powered battery is unlikely to be commercially used as it is will not be efficient and very expensive to make, according to Adam Best. Moreover, large-scale applications of coke-powered battery looks very remote.

When ever crude oil prices shoot up, the world looks for alternative miracles. The biofuel that Ramar Pillai from Tamilnadu produced out of a few green leaves created media waves a decade ago but died out very soon.

So long as oil monopoly remains in OPEC hands, nations, organizations and individuals will try their very best to reduce dependence on it. So we may continue to receive miracle news about a new source of energy from some material that you may be using daily. Perhaps, no multinational will invest in such possibilities, if there is no incentive to make big money. After all, there is big incentive for BP, Shell or Saudi Aramco to dig out oil from thousands of feet below sea and get it underground but not from a $1.25 Coke can. (Readers may send in their comments to news@commodityonline.com)