Experiments With Meat and Coke

Few of the experiments with meat and the carbonated beverage Coca Cola provide desired results, but some do produce notable results. Phosphoric acid, an ingredient in Coke, is assumed to be of a high enough concentration to deteriorate a piece of meat.

When beef is covered in Coke and left to sit for hours, the beef is still intact. However, use a very thin piece of beef, and let it sit for about five days. The meat still does not deteriorate completely, but shrinks and changes shape, size and texture so that it is not recognizable as a piece of beef. An experiment can be conducted using different varieties of Coke products to see if there are any differences.

Coke does make a good tenderizer and marinade. If beef is not left soaking in the soda for too long, it will break down some of the properties that can make beef tough, and leaves a flavor in the cooked product that is desirable to many. Different types of Coke may yield different and more effective levels of tenderness.

When chicken is marinated in Coke for hours, or even days, there are no discernible differences. Compare beef, chicken, fish and pork marinated in Coke for an experiment.

Undercooked pork can contain the larvae of a parasite, the Trichinella worm, which causes trichinosis. If pork infected with the virus is marinated in Coke for several hours it is possible that small worm-like particles will surface. However, the quality of pork today is such that there are seldom any Trichinella worm infections. Game meats — including bear, boar, and deer — are far more likely to contain the infection. An experiment can be performed to see which meats are more susceptible to the infection.