There will be a limited standard for the detection of possible carcinogens in coke caramel in China

Recently, a report released by the environmental health center of the US regulatory agency pointed out that 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI) which may cause cancer was detected in the caramel pigment of Pepsi Cola again The day before yesterday, PepsiCo Greater China responded by insisting that its food and beverage caramel pigments are considered safe by several authorities In response, reporters learned yesterday from the national food safety risk assessment center that China will revise the limit standard of caramel pigment In March, it said the two companies did not stop using "4-methylimidazole" to produce coke, and California sued Pepsi and Coca Cola The latest tests show that Coca Cola has almost no detection of 4-methylimidazole, but Pepsi still exists This year will focus on the assessment of the impact of caramel pigment At present, Pepsi and Coca-Cola both claim that they are improving the production formula of caramel pigment, but did not mention the specific timetable for improving the formula in China Consumers are worried that they will be subject to "double standards" by enterprises Yesterday, the reporter learned from the national food safety risk assessment center that whether the 4-methylimidazole contained in caramel added to coke has an impact on human health has been included in this year's key assessment project of the center Wang Huali, a researcher at the national food safety risk assessment center, said yesterday that China has approved the production process of four kinds of caramel pigments Not every process will produce 4-methylimidazole in the production process Therefore, enterprises can choose any process to produce caramel pigment according to product quality and market requirements The current standard stipulates "use according to needs" However, in the current national standard for food quality, there is no limit standard for caramel pigment in coke, only "use moderately according to production needs" In response, Wang said, caramel pigment plays a role of colorant in cola, adding more, it will also have an impact on the taste Therefore, for the sake of product quality, coke enterprises will not add too much caramel pigment at will The 4-methylimidazole contained in coke is also trace However, the current standard is vague, which really causes the lack of standard basis for both producers and regulatory departments, resulting in confusion Therefore, the national health and Family Planning Commission is in the process of integrating the national food safety standards, and will make unified revision on the limit of caramel pigment added in food Wang said that carbon drinks, including coke, will also have specific limit standards for caramel pigment content, which will provide a clear safety guidance for its production process in the future ■ in response to Pepsi's improved formula, China voiced that its food and beverage were safe, but promised to change the process and reduce the 4-MeI content of caramel Reporters yesterday in Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola two drinks on the outer packaging, can only see the food additive project marked with "Caramel Color", but can not see whether the pigment has been improved formula, whether it contains 4-methylimidazole and other information In response, PepsiCo Greater China issued a statement the day before yesterday, insisting that many authorities, including the U.S Food and drug administration, believe that the caramel pigment in PepsiCo's food and drink is safe But at the same time, PepsiCo promised to use caramel pigment which changed the production process Suppliers are modifying the production process to reduce the 4-MeI content of caramel It is reported that the beverage formula has been changed in California, and it is planned to be completed in other states by February 2014, to remove the colorant from its beverage, and then change the beverage formula globally However, PepsiCo did not make a clear statement on the schedule of improving the caramel pigment process in Chinese drinks, saying only that "the caramel color used by PepsiCo in Chinese drinks meets all local regulations" and consumers can enjoy it at ease Previously, Coca Cola said in an interview that the caramel pigment in all products has been, is and will always be safe "A small amount of 4-methylimidazole is present in a large number of food and drink, and usually 4-methylimidazole is formed when 'browning reaction' occurs during cooking." At present, Coca Cola first changed its formula in California, and there will be a transition to improved Caramel outside the United States, but there is no specific time for improvement "If it's an improved recipe, it should be implemented globally." Some consumers believe that the two coke companies can not be treated differently with "double standards", only to improve the formula in California or the United States ■ it has been debated whether 4-MeI causes cancer At present, it has been shown that it may cause animal cancer, but there is no evidence of human cancer It is understood that 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI for short) is an important organic intermediate, which is mainly used for the synthesis of cimetidine, as well as for the curing agent of epoxy resin and metal surface protective agent As early as 2011, California listed "4-methylimidazole" as a "possible carcinogen" list, stipulating that each food or drink containing more than 29 micrograms of 4-methylimidazole must bear a warning sign However, the carcinogenicity of 4-methylimidazole has been controversial The U.S Food and drug administration says small doses are safer, and only 1000 cans of canned Cola a day can cause cancer According to a statement issued by the American Beverage Association, this is another attempt by some organizations that have long been committed to attacking the food and beverage industry to intimidate consumers, "4-MeI does not pose a threat to human health There is no evidence that 4-MeI causes cancer " The reporter inquired yesterday that the China Beverage Industry Association once quoted the American viewpoint and pointed out that 4-methylimidazole has a slight content in a variety of foods and drinks, which has a wide range of needs and uses, involving fine chemical fields such as medicine, pesticide, dye and coating He Jiguo, an associate professor at the school of food science and nutrition engineering, China Agricultural University, said yesterday that 4-methylimidazole was produced when caramel pigment was produced from ammonium sulfite At present, it has been shown that it may cause animal cancer, but there is no evidence or case of human cancer.