Business
Coke Changed Caramel Color To Avoid Cancer Warning; Pepsi In Transition
[KMUW]
In 2011, the state of California created a problem for the soda industry.
The caramel color that Coke and Pepsi used to give colas that distinctive brown hue contained a chemical, 4-methylimidazole — 4-MEI — that is listed as a carcinogen by the state.
And in accordance with California’s Proposition 65 law, the levels of 4-MEI found in sodas would have warranted a cancer warning label on every can sold in the state.
So, as I reported last year, Coke and Pepsi both said they would switch to a reformulated caramel color, one that did not contain 4-MEI.
Now, it appears that both companies have managed to complete this transition for sodas sold in the state of California.
Read more about the coloring changes in Coke and Pepsi at KMUW.