Both firms to alter the way caramel colour is produced - Changes will take place in the U.S - But not in UK as the drinks meet European safety rules
By SOPHIE BORLAND
Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been forced to change their recipes in America to avoid having to put cancer-warning labels on their cans - while the drinks in Britain stay the same.
There were concerns that one of the food-colouring ingredients may cause tumours in mice - although there was no evidence of a similar risk for humans.
Nonetheless both manufacturers have altered their recipes for drinks sold in America and they now contain far less of the offending chemical.
But products sold in the UK will still be made to the same old recipe as European regulators do not believe they pose any health risks.
Officials point out that one would need to drink 1,000 cans of Coke a day to get the same dose of the chemical that was linked to tumours in mice.
Studies in the lab had found that the ingredient '4-methylimidazole' - which gives the drink its caramel brown colour - caused cancer in mice and rats.
This led to the state of California adding the chemical to its official list of ingredients that may cause cancer - or 'carcinogens' - earlier this year.
Under the state's law, Coca-Cola and Pepsi would have had to put cancer warning labels on bottles and cans alerting the public to the possible risk.
This may well have put many customers off from buying the drinks so the manufacturers instead decided to change the recipes for products sold in California.
Over the next few weeks they will roll out the new versions across the rest of America.
But the European Food Safety Authority, which assesses the risk of food and drink across the EU, does not believe the ingredient poses any danger.
A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said for this reason the drinks sold in Britain will remain exactly the same.
They said: 'The European Food Safety Authority recently looked at 4-methylimidazole and concluded it does not pose a health risk to humans. Based on available evidence, the presence of 4-methylimidazole in colouring agents is not a food safety concern.'
It is very rare for Coca-Cola and Pepsi to change their recipes however.
In fact when Coca-Cola tried to make the drink slightly sweeter in 1985 and relaunched it as 'New Coke' in the US there was a public outcry.
Less than three months later the company announced it was reverting back to the original recipe.
A Coca-Cola spokesman told MailOnline that rather than 'changing its recipe' it was simply changing the production process of one of its ingredients.
'The caramel colour in all of our products has been, is and always will be safe, and The Coca-Cola Company is not changing the world-famous formula for our Coca-Cola beverages,' she said.
'Over the years, we have updated our manufacturing processes from time to time, but never altered our Secret Formula.
'We have asked our caramel manufacturers to modify their production process to reduce the amount of 4-MEI in the caramel.
'But that will have no effect on the formula or on the great-tasting, high-quality products that consumers expect from us.
'These modifications will not affect the colour or taste of Coca-Cola. Our commitment to the highest quality and safety of our great brands remains our top priority.
'And we will continue to rely on sound, evidence-based science to ensure that our products are safe.'
THE SECRET RECIPE?
The exact recipe of the fizzy drink have always been a mystery.
Today's official recipe is rumoured to be guarded 24-hours a day in a vault in Atlanta.
The list of ingredients below are meant to be those used by pharmacist John Pemberton, who created the drink in 1886.
- Fluid extract of Coca 3 drams USP
- Citric acid 3 oz
- Caffeine 1oz
- Sugar 30 (it is unclear from the markings what quantity is required)
- Water 2.5 gal
- Lime juice 2 pints 1 qrt
- Vanilla 1oz
- Caramel 1.5oz or more to colour
- 7X flavour (use 2oz of flavour to 5 gals syrup):
- Alcohol 8oz
- Orange oil 20 drops
- Lemon oil 30 drops
- Nutmeg oil 10 drops
- Coriander 5 drops
- Neroli 10 drops
- Cinnamon 10 drops
Source