Caramel Colour (Class IV)
Sulphite ammonia caramel, the brown colour in colas and sauces. It can contain 4-MEI, a by-product IARC lists as possibly carcinogenic.
Class IV caramel colour is made by heating sugars with ammonium and sulphite compounds. It gives colas, sauces and gravies their dark brown colour.
What the research says
The process can create 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), which IARC classifies as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Regulators set limits on how much 4-MEI caramel colour may contain.
CleanPlate verdict
Cosmetic, and worth watching in products you consume often, like colas.
Found in
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