Coca-cola and Pepsi have modified their recipes to avoid having to display a warning that a chemical in the drink could cause cancer. 4-MI, the chemical in question, present in caramel colourings E150c and E150d, has been shown to cause cancer in rats, albeit with very high doses (equivalent to drinking 1000 cans).
Under Californian law, food and beverages containing cancer causing chemicals have to display a health warning. To avoid the negativity this would generate, the companies have asked their caramel suppliers to modify their process to reduce the amount of 4-MI in their caramel.
Coca-cola have released a statement to assure their customers that the change will in no way affect the taste. Maybe it’s time to bring back Tab Clear…