Consumer Reports Calls Caramel Color 'Potentially Carcinogenic', Petitions FDA
Yesterday on its website, Consumer Reports published a Special Report titled, "Caramel color: The health risk that may be in your soda." Noting that "some types of this artificial coloring contain a potentially carcinogenic chemical called 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI)," the article went on to explain that Consumer Reports had run tests on 12-ounce samples of several different cola drinks. The organization found that two products, Pepsi One and Malta Goya, had more than 29 micrograms of 4-MEI per can or bottle, and has asked the California Attorney General to investigate whether these sodas should carry a warning label as per Proposition 65.
Consumer Reports also submitted its test results to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The organization is petitioning the FDA "to set a federal standard for 4-MEI and in the meantime to require manufacturers to list the type of caramel color they use on their products’ ingredient lists." Specifying the type of caramel coloring is important because there are four types, and only the two made with ammonia compounds can contain 4-MEI, Consumer Reports explained.