Wait, really? So why doesn't someone just reverse-engineer Coca-Cola like that? ...

ajb · 2026-06-25T10:29:59 1782383399

In the case of coca cola, because use of coca leaves is highly regulated due to the fact that they also contain cocaine. There is a YouTuber who claims to have reverse engineered Coca-Cola, but he had to use tea-tree oil instead of actual coca leaf extract.

Here's EFF on reverse engineering and the law: https://www.eff.org/issues/coders/reverse-engineering-faq

Historically a lot of competition in physical products was very much reverse engineering. Because you can buy them without signing your rights away. That's why companies are keen on patents and click-through agreements.

If you look at how "clean room" processes work, they are actually a form of reverse engineering. Also clean room technique exists to avoid your new implementation infringing copyright, not trade secrets.

FabCH · 2026-06-25T11:22:09 1782386529

The Coca-Cola formula was reverse engineered in 2026 by a sufficiently motivated individual.

Here it is.

Per liter of cola:

104 g sugar

1 mL Flavor Solution A

10 mL Flavor Solution B

Carbonated water to volume

Flavor Solution A (Essential Oils):

Dilute 20–21 mL of the following oil mixture to 1 L using 95% ethanol:

45.8 mL lemon oil

36.5 mL lime oil

8 mL tea tree oil (emulates decocainized coca leaf extract)

4.5 mL Cassia cinnamon oil

2.7 mL nutmeg oil

1.2 mL orange oil

0.7 mL coriander oil

0.6 mL fenchol

Flavor Solution B (Chemical and Color Base):

Dilute the following ingredients to a volume of 1 L using water:

320 mL Shank's caramel color or 190 mL Durkee caramel color

160 g glycerin

45 mL 85% phosphoric acid

10 mL vinegar (5% acidity)

10 mL vanilla extract

10 g wine tannins (emulates decocainized coca leaf extract)

9.65 g caffeine

ceejayoz · 2026-06-25T11:41:02 1782387662

As with designer clothing, the moat is the brand name.

We've had perfectly good copies of Coca-Cola for decades.

SXX · 2026-06-25T16:17:28 1782404248

> We've had perfectly good copies of Coca-Cola for decades.

Not exactly. I mean for many people it was acceptible, but before that guy on youtube nobody bothered to do this deep chemical analysis.

Also even he struggled to replace coca leaf extract because there only single manufacturer in US with only single customer.

igravious · 2026-06-25T18:36:02 1782412562

First statement is true.

Second statement is false.

psychoslave · 2026-06-25T10:15:12 1782382512

Because having the nominal rights and having the economical means, societal incentives and actual desire to do so can be highly disjoint sets?

Plus Coca-Cola itself don’t even use the same formula through time and space IIRC. Which clearly show that what people will buy when they reach for Coca-Cola is not even the exact actual taste. You can’t replicate the whole customer experience that a given company provide at some point by only cloning the top of the iceberg they showcase as the product.