Coke's Recipe To Stay, Despite Scare Claim

[luangtom]

In reading the full copy of the report, which was supplied by a local TV news-team here in Atlanta, one finds that if humans were to ingest the dosage or concentration of the carcinogen needed to reach the level attained by the lab-rats, one would have to drink 1,000-cans of Coca Cola per day for an extended period of time. I do believe this was the State of California garnering air-time to show the world that they truly are the Land of Fruits and Nuts..............

[koto]

Extract from http://grist.org dated 2011-02-16:

"When you think of "caramel," you probably imagine cooking sugar until it turns brown. But that's not quite what soda manufacturers do to blacken carbonated water for cola. According to CSPI, here's what they do:

Caramel Color IV (synonyms: ammonia sulfite process caramel, sulfite ammonia caramel, sulfite ammonia process caramel, acid-proof caramel, beverage caramel, and soft-drink caramel) is prepared by the controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates with ammonium-containing and sulfite-containing compounds.

So, they take carbohydrates and cook them up with ammonia-based chemicals. In addition to dark color, the process also yields a carcinogenic chemical called 4-methylimidazole, or 4-MI for short. CSPI points to studies on both rats and mice fed 4-MI showing significant carcinogenic effects.

Evidence of 4-MI's cancer-causing power is so strong, CSPI points out, that just last month, the state of California added [PDF] the substance to its list of "chemicals known to the state to cause cancer." "California has determined that [4-MI] levels above 16 micrograms per day pose a significant risk," CSPI reports. How much is in a can of cola? According to CSPI, 130 micrograms — eight times higher than California's danger threshold. Drink two cans per day, and you're ingesting 16 times the level deemed dangerous by California."

BTW: When reacted with sulfites, caramel color retains traces of sulfite after processing. Further, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies and regulates caramel color in Title 21 CFR 73.85 as a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) color additive EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION.

As for the claim that Coca-cola never changed their receipt in 125 year, that is pure commercial talk. The coca disappeared from the regular formula; phosphoric acid (as indicated on the can) replaced another one I cannot remember; in most western countries, natural caramel was replaced with an industrial substitute (which legislation allowed to be called caramel!); the cheaper high-fructose corn syrup has replaced the natural sugar (some of my Californian acquaintances claim to taste the difference between a US regular Coke with HFCS and a Mexican Coke with sugar from cane);….

Thank You

For setting it straight, so many people don't realize this, due to false advertising, the tremendous harm it does to their children, you hit the nail on the head, Mahalo.

[koto]

Just drink Pepsi, problem solved!

(WRONG)

[Scott]

I am not a big fan of any carbonated drinks, fortunately, but I really don't care for any cola drinks. Even with my kids, I didn't usually let them have it often. It was a treat. Never kept it in the house, except for special occasions. Fortunately, none of them really picked up the habit of drinking soft drinks.

I haven't bought a coke in many years, but occasionally at a fast food restaurant it gets there (I prefer sprite). Sometimes when visiting someone they just give you a coke. Out of courtesy, I drink it.

[GentlemanJim]

My first two kids were never given a carbonated drink nor coffee or tea until they had choice at 16. Good healthy lads. I OD'd on carbonated drinks as a kid and as an 8 year old must have had 5 coffee's a day, not good at all. My current two little ones don't have carbonated drinks, they love fresh juices, soy milk, milk and water and wouldn't even dream of asking for a can of fizzy pop. The benefit of course is health, absolutely no behavioural problems as additives and E-numbers are off their menu, no rotten teeth that are such a trademark of many very young Thai children, even kids of rich folks, and I only imagine their insides are pristine. Unlike mine by the age of 10 must have been horrendous, along with my mouth full of fillings. I guess through our kids we can live the lives we should have done or wanted to.

[richard8013]

I've been drinking Coca Cola over 70 years and have not developed cancer yet. What a waste of time and money this exercise will be.

get your head down

[chuckd]

I've been drinking Coca Cola over 70 years and have not developed cancer yet. What a waste of time and money this exercise will be.

get your head down

I might also point out that at age 74 I have 30 of my original 32 adult teeth with nary one filling. I lost a couple in an earlier melee during a misspent youth.

I also slept in a crib with lead based paint as a baby, played with small toys easily swallowed, never owned a bicycle helmet or knee pads, drank out of a garden hose and had sex without condoms.

Never had a problem with any of them, except for that one girl in Tijuana, and I am now looking forward to finishing out my days with a nice cold Coca Cola, with rum added as that nice man lovetotravel suggested.

[chuckd]

This was just released today. Now I am really frightened. Been eating beef almost as long as I've been drinking Cokes and, if the truth was known, might have even had a steak or hamburger while drinking a Coca Cola. Would that be classified as double jeopardy?

Looks like I'm doomed for sure.

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Red meat is blamed for one in 10 early deaths

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor10:00PM GMT 12 Mar 2012

Small quantities of processed meat such as bacon, sausages or salami can increase the likelihood of dying by a fifth, researchers from Harvard School of Medicine found. Eating steak increases the risk of dying by 12%.

The study found that cutting the amount of red meat in peoples’ diets to 1.5 ounces (42 grams) a day, equivalent to one large steak a week, could prevent almost one in 10 early deaths in men and one in 13 in women.

The scientists said that the government’s current advice that people should eat no more than 2.5 ounces (70 grams) a day, around around the level the average Briton already consumes, was “generous”.

http://www.telegraph...rly-deaths.html

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PS: Anybody wonder which government program financed this study?