CA Regulations Prevent Sale of Kosher Coca Cola
Company was forced to re-formulate and doesn't yet have a Kosher version that passes muster in the state
Though not something typically envisioned as part of a Passover feast, West Coast dwellers who were hoping to enjoy a frosty Coca-Cola with their seder are out of luck. For the second year in a row, the soft-drink giant will not offer a kosher version of its soda in California.
Last year Coca-Cola modified its manufacturing process in California to comply with a state law that would require the soda to bear a cancer warning label, the Associated Press reports, and the company was unable to find a suitable replacement for a kosher version. In 2011, California listed 4-methylimidazole, or 4-MEI, as a carcinogen, and forced soda manufacturers like Coca-Cola to reduce levels of the chemical that is found in the caramel coloring used to give Coke its signature brown hue.
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The State of California wants you to be aware that being alive can cause cancer.
Why does "caramel" coloring include a nitrogenous compound? I'd think it would contain only the products of burning sugar. And why is the coloring different for the kosher version?