Preservatives and additives have been commonly used in producing packaged foods and beverages to increase shelf-life, and reduce the loss of taste or ingredients in the product before consumption. Common preservatives used in food production include benzoates, nitrites and sulphites.

Research studies have shown that consumption of preservatives over a period of time could have negative effects on human health. Preservative consumption could be a source of breathing problems like asthma and bronchitis, and some have been known to weaken heart cells, body tissues, and cause cancer.

Nigerian consumers are exposed to preservatives in some of the products they consume in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or plastic bottles, as they are commonly called. Even beverages that are supposed to be “natural” and “beneficial” for human health, have been known to contain preservatives like Potassium Sorbate and Trisodium Citrate, which diminish some of the benefits of the beverage and cause harm to the body.

For food products that contain natural ingredients which promote the overall wellbeing of individuals, inclusion of harmful preservatives in the foods or drinks could negate most, if not all of the natural ingredients in the product. With this fact in mind, we decided to examine a few “natural” beverages sold in the Nigerian market. For this report, we narrowed down to the Ice Tea category, and decided to focus our analysis on Chivita Ice Tea, the first Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Ice Tea brand produced by Chi Limited which was launched into Nigeria about a decade ago.

Chivita Ice Tea, a product which claims to offer consumers all the natural benefits of tea extracts, is the only Ice Tea brand in Nigeria that is produced in aseptic packaging. The Aseptic packaging production process is a specialized process in which food or other contents are processed separately and filled into the aseptic container or pack in a sterile environment that is safe and free of all harmful bacteria and free from human intervention. This type of packaging allows the food and beverage products to be transported over long distances, stored, and sold on shelves without refrigeration, thereby enabling the product have a stable shelf life of between 6-18 months, depending on the product. Thus, production in aseptic packaging is an innovative technology in the food and beverage industry that does not require the use of preservatives or additives to retain the product’s natural benefits before consumption.

According to research, tea is the most frequently consumed beverage in the world after water. On any given day, more than half of the human population consumes tea in one form or another. Tea keeps the body hydrated and also contains antioxidants, known to reverse the signs of ageing, fight free radicals in the body, reduce stress, and enable aid mental rejuvenation.

Since there are no preservatives added to the recipe of a product in an aseptic packaging, it can be deduced that the claim of Chivita Ice Tea as a natural, refreshing tea extract beverage is indeed a true claim. Examination of the product also reveals that Chivita Ice Tea contains real fruit juice, making it a refreshing drink with the natural health benefits of tea extracts and fruit juice all in one!

Chivita Ice Tea is manufactured by Chi Limited, a company known for the production of high quality, healthy, and nourishing fruit juice and dairy beverages. Known for its innovative products that have become household names in Nigeria, the company is widely regarded as the undisputed market leader in fruit juices and fruit drinks. The fact that Chi Limited products are produced in aseptic packaging and do not contain preservatives gives consumers the confidence that Chivita juices and Hollandia products are indeed healthy, natural beverages.