Squash (drink)

Raspberry and blackberry are popular in Eastern Europe, and currants is a common ingredient in the Low Countries.

Usually it can contain an acidifier such as citric acid or in very old-fashioned cordials lemon juice, or even spices such as cinnamon or cloves.

Recreations of these traditional preparations often contain a preservative especially sulphur dioxide, although sugar alone will keep it fresh for quite a long time.

Modern squash drinks are generally more complex and sugar free squash even more so; the ingredients are usually water, sweetener such as aspartame or sodium saccharin, juice in a low quantity (typically 5–10 percent), large quantities of flavouring, preservatives and sometimes a colour such as anthocyanin.

Although colours such as Allura Red AC and Sunset Yellow FCF are occasionally used in squash, most modern British companies are gradually aiming to use natural colours such as beta carotene or anthocyanins, and natural flavourings.

Traditional squashes may be flavoured with elderflowers, lemon, pomegranate, apple, strawberry, chokeberry (often with spices such as cinnamon or cloves added), orange, pear, or raspberry.

[citation needed] In British English, "cordial" refers to a sweet fruit-flavoured drink (as different from a syrup).

Australian brands include Cottee's, Bickford's, P&N Beverages and Golden Circle cordials.

When a silverback called Kumbuka escaped from his enclosure in 2016, he drank five litres (8.8 imperial pints) of undiluted blackcurrant squash that was in the keepers' area.