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[clhw AT InfoAve.Net (clhw)]

Bev -- It is my understanding that the aspartame in diet drinks will break
down to, amid other components, wood alcohol, in the presence of enough
heat. Since that heat is less than the human body temperature, diet drinks
just aren't good at any age. I need to research my info on this but am
swamped with translation jobs at the moment. Try looking up Betty Martini
and her web site to see what she says.

When I was in charge of disaster supplies for a Red Cross chapter, the
manufacturers told us that 3 months was the maximum to store soft drinks.
Since we were not allowed to stock anything out of date, we just bought
soft drinks when they were needed, and did not stock them.  We stocked a
WALL of bottled water.

>I was accused today of being too frugal.  I did not think that possible.
>Summer before last, we threw a big party and had people bring the
>drinks.  Many people brought drinks/soda in cans of various brands.
>Many were diet drinks like diet coke, and I am not a diet drink person.
>Having friends and family who are, I decided to save those drinks for
>future guests.  Over the last year or so, people have been drinking
>those drinks without complaint, but yesterday, one of my guests asked
>for a drink and I gave her one from the storage room.  The can was from
>2004, a diet coke.  She opened it, it fizzed, and she poured it into a
>glass with ice....more fizz....then she noticed the Six Flags ad from
>2004 on the can and asked me how old the coke was....lol...suddenly, she
>complained that it did not taste right....and promptly dumped it out.  I
>was not aware that canned soda could "go bad" but apparently it is
>possible for time to affect the taste, especially with diet drinks.  I
>was going to toss the drinks, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
>Surely, I am thinking, there must be another use for them...it's not
>like they are 'spoiled' or anything.  I was thinking about perhaps using
>  the diet coke in some kind of marinade...I know there are various lists
>around that detail the uses of Coke, but I don't know if those apply to
>diet coke as well.  I assume they do.  I don't want to be so frugal that
>people think I am off my rocker, but I just can't bear throwing out
>those cans, especially when there is some doubt in my mind that my guest
>was influenced by what she saw, not necessarily what she tasted!  Any ideas?
>
>Bev