The author of a new unauthorized history of the Coca-Cola Company has found himself in a dispute with the company over whether his book has the highly guarded recipe for the world's most famous soft drink.

The author of "For God, Country and Coca-Cola," Mark Pendergast, whose book officially goes on sale Tuesday, writes that an archivist let him copy a century-old formula of Coke's inventor, John Pemberton, during a research visit to the corporate headquarters in Atlanta.

Coca-Cola's attempts to keep the recipe secret are matters of legend -- it pulled out of India in 1977 rather than divulge its formula to the Government. But Mr. Pendergast, a former librarian, writes that he was allowed to copy what appears to be the "original formula" from the tattered remains of Mr. Pemberton's records.

Among the ingredients listed are fluid extract of coca leaves, caffeine, vanilla extract, lime juice, citric acid, alcohol and various natural flavors including orange oil, lemon oil, nutmeg, cinnamon and coriander.