Photo by Hep Svadja
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When you drink soda, bubbles of carbon dioxide (CO2) cause the tingling sensation on your tongue. In addition to the physical sensation, the CO2 combines with your saliva to produce carbonic acid, which is an important flavor component of carbonated beverages. If you’ve ever taken a swig of flat soda or beer, you’ll know that the carbonation is really important.
For a healthy treat, you can add the sparkling qualities of CO2 to fresh fruit in your own kitchen. You can achieve this with solid CO2 (dry ice), but it has to be measured very carefully due to the pressurized nature of this project. Using effervescent tablets like Alka-Seltzer is a great alternative since they have a long shelf life and produce a known quantity of CO2.
Caution #1: This is a high-pressure project. Use plastic instead of glass, and keep the lid pointed away from yourself and others.
Caution #2: Aspirin is an ingredient in regular Alka-Seltzer. Make sure to buy the aspirin-free version.
1. Add tablets
Fig A. Step shots by Ben Krasnow
Add 4 effervescent tablets to the container (Figure A). This will produce a pressure of 20psi at room temperature in the 1-quart container. Don’t add more than 4 tablets, or the excess pressure could pop the lid off. If your container is smaller than 1 quart, scale the number of tablets accordingly.
2. Cut and add cup
Fig B
Cut off the top of the disposable plastic cup so that it is just a few inches tall. Then cut down one side and halfway across the bottom (Figure B). Push the collapsed cup into the container, with the bottom facing up (Figure C).
Fig C
3. Cut and place fruit
Fig D
Cut up some fruit and place on top of the cup (Figure D). Keep the fruit from falling or it will absorb some of the aspirin and the flavor will suffer.
4. Add water and lid
Add ¾ cup water (Figure E), and quickly screw on the lid. Tighten firmly, but don’t overdo it.
5. Chill and enjoy
Chill the container in the fridge for a few hours, or preferably overnight. Slowly open the container, and enjoy your fizzy fruit right away! You can put your fizzy fruit through these steps again for extra fizz.
Updated 9/27/16 with caution about aspirin contained in Alka-Seltzer tablets.
Alka Seltzer contains aspirin. Probably not something you want to drink non-medicinally.
Someone clearly didn’t read the article…
I did, but it was only on re-read after your comment that I realized that the fruit is not supposed to contact the liquid. I’m not sure how you get the fruit out if that’s the case. Chopsticks? Try spearing them with a fork, without pushing them down?
If that’s the goal, then there are probably better ways to accomplish it. A little dry ice. Or a wide-mouth seltzer maker. In both cases, you don’t have to worry about aspirin contamination.
Awesome, I’m glad there are still people who realize and fix their tiny mistakes instead of acting childish. Kudos to you sir.
I also agree its not a perfect solution, perhaps someone could 3D print a “fruit stand” or similar for a wide-mouth container to do the same but not have to worry about the fruit contacting the liquid.
STILL….there is no where in the article that states do NOT drink the water. Many people who read this may come to the wrong conclusion – that you are drinking the carbonated water with the fruit in it. Why don’t you just SPECIFY that in your directions? Will prevent accidental aspirin exposures. And I agree with @macemoneta:disqus – there has to be a better way that will avoid any possible ASA exposure. (Not to mention 445 mg sodium/tablet)
Oh TOTALLY! They also forgot to mention you shouldn’t eat the plastic container, or run with the scissors used to cut the cup, also to breathe in and out regularly while doing this project.
At some point common sense should take over.
If a parent doesn’t realize you shouldn’t just feel the kid random medicines for no reason, they probably shouldn’t be a parent.
Oh darn! I always eat the plastic containers. It solves my clutter problem – for about a day, on average.
I was gonna make a comment about the aspirin too, but I read the article and Ben beat me to the punch. Well written. Thank you!
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They do make an Alka-Seltzer without asprin that is for just heartburn.
https://www.alkaseltzer.com/products/heartburn-relief/
For those that would like to drink the liquid as well.
Edit: Just noticed that it’s only available in Lemon-Lime. *shrug*
Aspirin-free version or not, Alka-Seltzer is not recommended for people with several different health problems, including ulcers, asthma, kidney problems, etc, or even in their last trimester of pregnancy. It’s MEDICINE, not a kitchen ingredient. Promoting this is ridiculous and very irresponsible.
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