Makers of soda in the United States produce 10.4 billion gallons each year, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. That's enough for every American to drink one 12-ounce can every day. Too much soda in the American diet has been linked to obesity and diabetes. You may opt to choose diet soda to help reduce your risk. But replacing regular soda with diet soda does not reduce your risk of becoming ill. Diet soda from a soda dispenser can harbor E. coli, a bacterial foodborne illness.
E. Coli
E. coli, formally known as Escherichia coli, is a bacteria normally found in the digestive tract of both humans and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless and do not cause any ill effects. However, some strains, such as E. coli O157:H7, can make you sick causing severe abdominal pain, bloody stools and vomiting. Contaminated foods and beverages are the primary source of E. coli O157:H7. It is most commonly found in raw vegetables and undercooked meats.
Soda Contamination
E. coli may also contaminate your diet soda from fountain soda dispensers. A 2010 study published in the "International Journal of Food Microbiology" analyzed 90 fountain beverage samples from a variety of machines, including both self-serve and personnel-dispensed, for bacterial contamination. The samples included both regular and diet soda. The researchers found 11 percent of the samples contaminated with E. coli. Levels of bacterial contamination did not differ between the regular and diet soda. The researchers concluded that fountain soda dispensers may be a source of foodborne illness and pose a significant threat to public health safety.
Diet Soda
Drinking diet soda does not increase your risk of an E. coli infection, only the source. To limit your risk of an E. coli infection from diet soda, you may be better off drinking diet soda from a bottle or can instead of a fountain soda dispenser. The researchers in the 2010 study used bottle and canned soda as a control and did not find any microbial contaminants in the samples.
Diet Soda and Health
Diet soda may help you limit your calorie intake for weight management, but regular use of artificial sweeteners may cause weight gain, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. When you eat foods that are sweet your brain receives a signal that you are sending it energy. When it has had enough, it signals you to stop eating. If you consume sweet foods without calories, your body does not receive the energy it expected, which may cause you to eat more calories than you intended, leading to weight gain. More research about diet soda and weight are necessary before formal recommendations can be made.
