Coke pledges to reduce carcinogen
The Coca-Cola Company has announced that it will take measures to change its production process in China in order to decrease the amount of a cancer-causing chemicals in the soda drink, CRI reported.
The company has been using caramel, which contains 4-methyl imidazole (4-MI), a carcinogen, to color the drink, said a Xinhua report.
But the amount of the carcinogen in the caramel varies worldwide. The amount of 4-MI in Coca-Cola bottled in China is 14 times higher than that in the United States.
While Coca-Cola said it change the Chinese process “soon,” it did not give a timetable.
It added that using a 4-MI-free ingredient would quadruple the cost of the soft drink.
4-MI forms in foods such as caramel as a byproduct. The coloring is also widely used in soy sauce, vinegar, beer and other soft drinks.
The World Health Organization says products using caramel containing 4-MI should contain no more than 200 milligrams per kilogram.
(China.org.cn June 29, 2012)
Site Contributors
Thank you for visiting my blog, and taking the time to read my post. I hope you find it helpfully and interesting, please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments. If there is something you would like to ask or want to see please email or message me. ~ Mike G
Mike’s Weight Battle
