The U.S Food and Drug Administration is re-checking the safety of caramel coloring in sodas and other foods and claims that it is not necessarily unsafe for consumption.
On Thursday, the agency announced their initial findings as a response to a Consumer Report investigation that prompted Consumers Union to call for limits on 4-methyliminazole, an impurity produced in the productions of some caramel colorings, as well as for labeling products containing caramel coloring.
The FDA says it has already studied the use or caramel as a flavor and color additive for decades but will review the new data on the safety of 4-methyliminazole. "These efforts will inform the FDA's safety analysis and will help the agency determine what, if any, regulatory action needs to be taken, said FDA spokesperson Juli Putnam.
"There is no reason why consumers need to be exposed to this avoidable and unnecessary risk that can stem from coloring food and beverages brown," said Consumer Reports' Dr. Urvashi Rangan, a toxicologist and lead investigator of the study. His investigation found levels of 4-methyliminazole to be very low in Coca-Cola products - evidence "that the manufacturing byproduct is avoidable."
However, PepsiCo spokeswoman Aurora Gonzalez said the company is "extremely concerned" about the findings of the study and believes it is actually incorrect. "All of Pepsi's products are below the threshold set in California, and all are in full compliance with the law." She also said that the average amount of soda consumed daily by those who drink it is less than the 12-ounce can Consumer Reports used as its basis for measurement.
