What addition signaled the transition of fizzy water into the modern soft drink industry?

Answer

Adding flavorings like fruit extracts or sweeteners

The decisive shift away from the primary use as a health tonic towards a common beverage occurred when manufacturers began adding flavor components. As the technology for carbonation became cheaper and more widely accessible, producers started mixing in sweeteners and fruit extracts to enhance palatability for general consumption. This introduction of flavor decoupled the product from its strict medicinal roots, forming the basis for the modern soft drink industry where taste supersedes the perceived physiological effect of the carbonation itself.

What addition signaled the transition of fizzy water into the modern soft drink industry?
Historyhealthbeveragewatercarbonation