The "Fizzing" Experience...

Today's Notable Quote: "Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year." - Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

So...in an effort to support this incredible consumption level, I am sharing the following "fizz-keeping" guidelines from The Wall Street Journal's interview with the American Beverage Association.

Problem: Keeping the fizz in pop.

Solution:The key to keeping carbonated beverages from going flat is to minimize their exposure to air. "Air is the enemy," says Mike Redman, vice president of scientific, technical and regulatory affairs for the American Beverage Association. "As soon as you pour the product, be sure to seal it" with a lid. Temperature is also important, Mr. Redman says, so store the opened soda bottle in the refrigerator. "It's a basic law of physics: If you keep a dissolved gas in solution, you keep that solution as cool as possible," he says. Finally, pay attention to the "use by" date that many bottlers print on the packaging. While soda won't go bad, fresher soda tastes better, Mr. Redman says. Products available that claim to keep soda bubbly are available on shopping Web sites. Soda dispensers, like FizzItUp (about $15), invert a 2-liter bottle onto a stand and pour soda through a nozzle. Bottle stoppers, such as the Jokari Fizz-Keeper (between $3 and $6), create a pressurized seal.

Write toBeth DeCarbo at beth.decarbo@wsj.com

So...in an effort to support this incredible consumption level, I am sharing the following "fizz-keeping" guidelines from The Wall Street Journal's interview with the American Beverage Association.

Problem: Keeping the fizz in pop.

Solution:The key to keeping carbonated beverages from going flat is to minimize their exposure to air. "Air is the enemy," says Mike Redman, vice president of scientific, technical and regulatory affairs for the American Beverage Association. "As soon as you pour the product, be sure to seal it" with a lid. Temperature is also important, Mr. Redman says, so store the opened soda bottle in the refrigerator. "It's a basic law of physics: If you keep a dissolved gas in solution, you keep that solution as cool as possible," he says. Finally, pay attention to the "use by" date that many bottlers print on the packaging. While soda won't go bad, fresher soda tastes better, Mr. Redman says. Products available that claim to keep soda bubbly are available on shopping Web sites. Soda dispensers, like FizzItUp (about $15), invert a 2-liter bottle onto a stand and pour soda through a nozzle. Bottle stoppers, such as the Jokari Fizz-Keeper (between $3 and $6), create a pressurized seal.

Write toBeth DeCarbo at beth.decarbo@wsj.com