The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), an American association for consumer protection, who had already raised the alarm, reiterated its call to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the caramel colorings, E150 which color Coca-Cola, the best-selling soft drink in the world, but also other soft drinks, soy sauce and some beers. The cause is the high levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a compound that would be carcinogenic in animals, released during the manufacture of the dye.

To achieve this position, CSPI collected samples from different sodas. According to the results, Pepsi’s products had 145 to 153 µg of 4-MI per can. Regular Coca-Cola had 142 to 146 µg and Diet Coke had 103 to 113 µg per can. To put those levels into context, the state of California has a 29-microgram benchmark for 4-MI. Levels above that in a serving of food or beverage may be required to bear a warning notice. In Europe, EFSA also discussed the issue and re-evaluated the safety of these coloring substances one year ago. Based on available data, EFSA has considered that the caramel colorings were neither genotoxic nor carcinogenic and that there were no concerns regarding reproductive and/or developmental toxicity. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) was set at 300 mg/kg bw/day applicable to the three dyes (E 150 a, b, d) with a more conservative ADI of 100 mg/kg bw/day for the coloring E150c because of the potential immunotoxicity of one of its components 2-acetyl-4-tétrahydroxibutylimidazole (THI).

In any case, interesting fact, the CSPI asked that the appellation “caramel” was changed to a less misleading name for consumers who could interpret that as coming from melted sugar. The name of the coloring substances containing 4-MEI should be therefore changed into “ammonia-sulfite process caramel coloring” or “chemically modified caramel coloring” for labeling purposes.

Thus, we can ask ourselves about the risks associated with these coloring substances, but it is reminiscent that there are other risks associated with excessive consumption of soft drinks, such as overweight, and that consumption of these products is not recommended in large quantities.

References: “Lab Tests Find Carcinogen in Regular and Diet Coke and Peps” from CSPI / EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Scientific Opinion on the reevaluation of caramel colours (E 150a,b,c,d) as food additives. EFSA Journal 2011;9(3):2004 [103 pp.]

There was not even one death caused by a vitamin supplement in 2010, according to the most recent information collected by the U.S. National Poison Data System. The new annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers shows zero deaths from multiple vitamins; zero deaths from any of the B vitamins; zero deaths from vitamins A, C, D, or E; and zero deaths from any other vitamin.
Additionally, there were no deaths whatsoever from any amino acid or dietary mineral supplement.

Well over half of the U.S. population takes daily nutritional supplements. Even if each of those people took only one single tablet daily, that makes 165,000,000 individual doses per day, for a total of over 60 billion doses annually. Since many persons take far more than just one single vitamin or mineral tablet, actual consumption is considerably higher, and the safety of nutritional supplements is all the more remarkable.

Over 60 billion doses of vitamin and mineral supplements per year in the USA, and not a single fatality. Not one.

If vitamin and mineral supplements are allegedly so “dangerous,” as the FDA and news media so often claim, then where are the proofs?

Reference: Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena LR Jr, Green JL, Rumack BH, Dart RC. 2010 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 28th Annual Report

A food supplement was the subject of ntoification via the rapid alert system of foodstuff concerning the presence of novel food ingreident : stevia rebaudiana. The withdrawal of stevia food supplement in Malta was ordered…
Whereas this ingredient has been evaluated several times by EFSA, in an opinion published in April 2010, the EFSA have concluded that these substances are neither genotoxical nor carcinogens…
A project of regulation in amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to steviol glycosides as sweetener is under discussion.This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
However, the example of the withdrawal of stevia food supplement in Malta reminds us that the text is not yet published…