Coca-Cola has revealed the closely held famous trade secret after a Turkish-based office of St. Nicholas Foundation filed a complaint with the court, demanding that the secret formula of ingredients violates the consumer rights.

The formula ingredients are mixed into a syrup, a highly concentrated mixture of flavors, which is mixed only in select centers throughout the world before distributed to local bottling companies to mix with carbonated water and other minor ingredients, ensuring tight control over the actual contents.

After three-year long process, Coca-Cola has disclosed that the famous drink natural dye carmine which is derived from dried cells of Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect or primarily sessile parasite living on cacti from the genus Opuntia in tropical and subtropical South America and Mexico.

The insect produces carminic acid which deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid can be extracted from the insect’s body and eggs to make carmine dye. Carmine is primarily used as a fabrics colouring and for cosmetics.

However, cochineal dyes are harmless for human and is used in the food industry for more than 100 years.

Previously, it was believed that the exact formula of Coca-Cola is held in SunTrust Bank’s main vault in Atlanta and only two executives had access to the formula, with each executive having only half the formula.

Nevertheless, this seemed absurd because no secret could have been held so long given the modern technology and physical-chemical analysis. Farsuna