Staff Writer
4-methylimidazole. Though not a household name, you have likely consumed it. 4-Mel is commonly found in certain sodas, barbeque sauces, and syrups. Usually dubbed “caramel coloring”, since 4-methylimidazole is a mouthful, 4-MeI is used in some of the most popular drinks. As harmless as caramel coloring sounds, it has recently been thrust into the spotlight over its possible carcinogenic effects. In certain studies, high doses of the heterocyclic organic chemical compound caused rabbits and chicks to convulse and intoxicated cattle that were fed with supplements that contained 4-Mel. The FDA says caramel coloring isn’t anything to worry about, when consumed in small doses. A U.S. FDA spokesperson says that, “[a] person 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.”
4-MeI was added to
California Proposition 65 on January 7, 2011 because it was believed to be “a chemical known to the State of California to cause
cancer.” After a safe level of caramel coloring was established at 29
micrograms, some manufacturers have brought down the amounts of 4-Mel used in
their products. Now Americans can rest at ease knowing their soda is slightly
less toxic than usual.
