The chemical that makes coke brown may cause cancer

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You may chug Diet Cokes as if it’ll make you immortal, but once more science is trashing soda for all its downsides. A new Consumer Reports study identifies harmful levels of a potential carcinogen in soft drinks called 4-methylimidazole (4-Mel).

Soda is so popular in the U.S. that half­ of Americans between the ages of 6 and 64 now drink enough of the beverage to face a cancer risk from 4-Mel. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer believes the chemical is carcinogenic. California began limiting the amount allowed in foodstuffs in 2011, however the new study shows Americans are drinking enough of it to put their health at risk.

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Still the news is not as bad as it sounds. Consumer Reports says "at this level of consumption, we would expect to see between 76 and 5,000 cases of cancer in the U.S. over the next 70 years from 4-MeI exposure.”

That’s a miniscule percentage. But what’s irritating to many is that 4-Mel is completely unnecessary. The chemical does the very important job of making your beverage the color “brown.” Yeah, 4-Mel comes from food coloring (often listed as “caramel coloring” under your soda’s ingredients).

It’s also the latest item on the laundry list of health issues associated with soda. From higher risks of developing type 2-diabetes to causing severe erosion of teeth enamel, soft drinks don’t have a lot going for them.

Consumer Reports wrote that Malta Goya and three Pepsi products (Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi One) had the highest levels of 4-Mel. Coca-Cola had the lowest. 4-Mel can be found in any brown food or drink, including bread, dark sauces (soy or barbeque), pancake syrup and soup, the report notes.

The Food and Drug Administration told CNN that they don’t believe 4-Mel poses a health risk to consumers at current levels. But they’re testing food and drinks “to determine if any regulatory action needs to be taken.” The American Beverage Association repeated the FDA’s position in a statement on CNN, and added that the organization is producing a caramel coloring that will contain less 4-Mel.

Read the FDA Q&A on 4-Mel here.