Tang (drink) - Definition and Overview

Tang is a sugared, fruit flavored soft drink. The original orange flavored Tang was formulated by General Foods Corporation in 1957 and first marketed (in powdered form) in 1959. It was initially intended as a breakfast drink, but sales were poor until NASA began using it on Gemini flights.

The Tang brand is currently owned by Kraft Foods. It is available in five flavors, and is sold both in powdered form (in sachets and larger canisters) and in a ready-to-drink sachet. A single 8 oz serving of Tang provides 92 calories, 60 mg of vitamin C (the entire RDA), and no caffeine. Kraft also makes a sugar-free version of Tang.

An urban legend exists that Tang makes for an excellent dishwasher cleaning agent, due to its high citric acid content. Tang's equally high sugar content makes this an unlikely solution, and Kraft recommends against this use.

Tang is not available in many parts of the world.