Popular soda ingredient, caramel color, poses cancer risk to consumers

Date: February 18, 2015

Source: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Summary:

Public health researchers have analyzed soda consumption data in order to characterize people's exposure to a potentially carcinogenic byproduct of some types of caramel color. Caramel color is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks. The results show that between 44 and 58 percent of people over the age of six typically have at least one can of soda per day, possibly more, potentially exposing them to 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a possible human carcinogen formed during the manufacture of some kinds of caramel color.

Public health researchers have analyzed soda consumption data in order to characterize people's exposure to a potentially carcinogenic byproduct of some types of caramel color. Caramel color is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks.

Credit: © naypong / Fotolia

See more at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150218191653.htm