Cancer Risk Found in Coke, Pepsi, Group Says

[marmar]

(Bloomberg) High levels of a chemical that causes tumors in animals were found in Coca-Cola Co. (KO) and PepsiCo. Inc. (PEP) sodas, according to a consumer advocacy group pressing U.S. regulators to ban a color additive.

The chemical 4-methylimidazole was found in Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi and is the caramel coloring used in the beverages, according to a study released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February to ban the ammonia-sulfite coloring, which is found in most colas.

“Coke and Pepsi, with the acquiescence of the FDA, are needlessly exposing millions of Americans to a chemical that causes cancer,” said Michael F. Jacobson, the Washington-based group’s executive director, said in a statement. “The FDA needs to protect consumers from this risk.”

The FDA has no reason to believe there is any immediate risk from the substance and is reviewing the group’s petition, said Douglas Karas, an agency spokesman, in an e-mail. A consumer would have to drink more than a thousand cans of soda in a day to match the doses administered in studies that showed links to cancer in rodents, the FDA said. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-05/cancer-causing-chemical-found-in-coca-cola-pepsi-consumer-group-says.html

[virgogal]

1. Time to go after the soda producers now. The anti-cigarette thing has

just about run it's course,and it started slowly and then accelerated.

Oh well.