Recently, U.S. consumer groups have begun questioning the safety of a caramel color additives used in Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola and other popular soft drinks. In a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitions FDA to ban ammonia-sulfite “caramel coloring” as a possible carcinogen. This is the coloring that gives Coke and Pepsi their brown color. Although industry disputes these claims, the issue highlights the importance of industry reviewing the food coloring used in products sold in the U.S.

Today, over 80% of all food sold by American groceries is imported. Since other countries don’t follow U.S. Food standards, it is common for other countries to allow food additives like caramel coloring that has been banned in the U.S. Once these banned colorings are part of a food’s overseas formulation, the manufacturer often fails to adjust his ingredients so that they are not included in U.S. bound foods. This can cause a shipment to be detained or recalled by the FDA.

FDA sets precise regulations that indicate what food ingredients are permitted in foods. There are some ingredients that FDA recognizes as safe, and others that are strictly regulated. Color additives are in the strictly regulated by FDA category. A food manufacturer may not think twice about putting a superficial color additive that does not change the flavoring of food. However, food manufacturers should know all of FDA’s regulations for color additives before adding these to their ingredients.

For more information about FDA regulations for color additives, please contact Registrar Corp 24/7 at www.registrarcorp.com/livehelp or call us at +1-757-224-0177.