Quality assessment and potential health risks of sweetened beverages marketed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Aim: This study assesses the potential health risks associated with the consumption of sweetened beverages sold in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), by analyzing physicochemical parameters and detecting harmful chemical contaminants in these drinks. Methods: Ten brands of sweetened beverages commercially available in Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, were sampled across multiple flavors (n = 40 brand-flavor combinations, 120 individual samples). Physicochemical parameters including pH, titratable acidity (TA), and Brix degree were measured in triplicate for all samples. A subset of 18 of the 40 brand-flavor combinations was selected and subjected to ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for chemical fingerprinting and phthalate identification. Results: All samples exhibited highly acidic pH values (2.19–3.96), with cola flavors recording the lowest pH across all brands. TA ranged from 1.792 to 5.440 g free acid L–1, with several brands exceeding established dental erosion risk thresholds. Sugar content ranged from 4.40 to 12.39 g/100 mL, exceeding recommended standards in all samples. Flavor type was the primary determinant of acidity, while sugar content varied significantly across brands. Phthalates, including butyl cyclohexyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate, were qualitatively detected in most samples analyzed by UPLC-HR-MS and NMR. Azelaic acid, a marker of oxidative degradation of oleic acid, was also identified in several samples. Conclusions: Sweetened beverages marketed in Kinshasa showed multiple quality concerns, including excessive acidity, high sugar content, and the qualitative identification of phthalates and oxidative degradation products. Although these findings may indicate potential health risks for vulnerable populations, such as children and adolescents and pregnant women, quantitative studies are required to assess full exposure levels of consumers and confirm associated health risks of these sweet beverages.