Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew is a caffeinated sweet citrus-flavored soft drink produced by PepsiCo, Inc. It was first marketed in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1948, and across the United States in 1964. When removed from its characteristic green bottle, Mountain Dew is bright green yellow and cloudy. more...

Unlike lemon-lime soft drinks such as Sprite or 7 Up, Mountain Dew contains concentrated orange juice.

Mountain Dew often incurs the disapproval of health experts due to its relatively high caffeine content for a soft drink (interestingly enough, typical brewed coffee has a much higher caffeine dosage for equal volume). However, Mountain Dew marketed in Australia and Canada — as well as several U.S. states — has no caffeine added at all. Nevertheless, Mountain Dew contains tartrazine (“FD&C Yellow No. 5” in the US), which could lead to allergic reactions in some people. This has also led to an urban legend that the Yellow No. 5 in Mountain Dew reduces the sperm count of male drinkers. This is, however, false. Diet Mountain Dew contains aspartame. Mountain Dew's brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is another source of contention. More than 100 countries ban BVO for its adverse health effects. However, the exact quantity of bromine put into fat cells from BVO is questioned.

In Europe, Mountain Dew is available in the following countries:

• Iceland (since 2002)
• Finland (since 2002)
• Poland (since 2002)
• Norway (since 2005)
• Switzerland
• Romania (since 2003)
• Germany (only at a few gas stations, as well as at Subway restaurants)
• Spain (since 2004)
• Malta (since 2005)
• The Netherlands (Only at America Today branches, and at EnergyBoost.nl)
• Hungary
• Bulgaria (since 2005)

A version of the drink was marketed for three years in the UK during the late 1990s. Many believe the urban legend that Mountain Dew is illegal (in its American formulation) to sell in the UK due to its high caffeine content and excessive artificial ingredients. However, the version sold in the UK was a lurid green color and contained far more caffeine, synthetic sugars, and artificial colorings than the American version. It even discolored the teeth and tongue of its drinkers for several hours after consumption.

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