March 7, 2012
New research has found that beverages from two of the most recognized soda brands in the world may be causing thousands of cases of cancer annually.
The study, which was conducted by The Center For Science in the Public Interest, found that both Pepsi and Coca-Cola products contained dangerously high levels of the carcinogen known as 4-MI, or 4-methylimidazole. The chemical is part of the caramel coloring used to give the sodas their signature brown colors and has been associated with patients developing:
- lung cancers,
- mononuclear cell leukemia,
- liver cancers,
- and thyroid cancers.
Researchers tested two twelve-ounce samples of Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper, and Whole Foods 365 Cola for 4-MI. They found that Pepsi’s products had up to 153 micrograms (mcg) of 4-MI per 12-ounce can, while Coca-Cola’s products contained up to 146 mcg of the chemical. These high levels could lead to as many as 15,000 new patients developing cancer each year.
New regulations in the state of California only allow 29mcg of the carcinogen per serving. Any food product that contains more must carry a warning label. Pepsi has changed its formula in California to adhere to that standard.
The Colorado Defective Product Attorneys with the McDivitt Law Firm would like to remind citizens to make healthy dietary choices, and that consumption of high levels of sugars found in sodas has been associated with health conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
