Caramel

Caramel's Role in Energy Drinks

Caramel is added to energy drinks as a natural flavoring agent and as a brown coloring agent. It is not included for its energy-boosting properties.

It is used to color various products such as energy drinks, cola, yakisoba, curry, and sauces, so you may be consuming caramel in some form every day.

Cancer Risk of Caramel

While caramel is used in energy drinks and cola, some types of caramel (specifically types 3 and 4) have been found to potentially contain carcinogenic properties, a concern that has arisen in the U.S.

The substance 4-MEI (4-methylimidazole) in caramel coloring is believed to have carcinogenic properties. In California, if a soft drink contains more than 29 micrograms of 4-MEI per can, a cancer warning label is required, which drew attention. It has since been recognized as a carcinogenic substance.

As a result, Coca-Cola in the U.S. used to include 100 micrograms of caramel coloring in a 355ml can, but this has since been reduced to meet the new regulation.

However, both the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority have stated that there are no health concerns related to these levels of 4-MEI.

According to the FDA, to develop cancer from substances like 4-MEI in cola, one would need to consume over 1,000 cans per day, which makes it virtually impossible for the general population to be at risk. Therefore, the cancer risk from 4-MEI is not a concern at typical consumption levels.

Safety of Caramel in Japan

While the situation in the U.S. has raised concerns, the risk of caramel has not been widely recognized in Japan. However, in 1980, the Ministry of Health and Welfare concluded from a two-year mouse experiment that caramel does not have carcinogenic effects.

In 1985, the international organization JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) concluded that types 1, 3, and 4 of caramel coloring do not pose a cancer risk, and in 2000, the safety of caramel type 2 was also assessed and confirmed.