A major consumer group today called for a government ban on two types of caramel coloring used in colas, warning that the ingredients could cause cancer. The soft drink industry came out swinging, strongly objecting to the claim.

一消費組織要求政府禁止可樂中添加兩種焦糖色素，警告說這類成分可能致癌。可口可樂公司立馬反擊，強烈反對對這論斷。

"We're asking the FDA to ban the use of caramel coloring that's used in colas and certain other soft drinks and a variety of other foods," said Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "The reason is that several years ago a government agency, the National Toxicology program tested a contaminant in the coloring and found that it caused cancer in mice and possibly rats."

公共利益科學中心的執(zhí)行理事Michael Jacobson說道：“我們要求FDA禁止可樂，當然也包括其他軟飲料和食品添加焦糖色素。之所以這樣，是因為幾年前，一政府機構(gòu)檢測出這種色素中含有能讓老鼠至癌的污染物，”

According to the CSPI, pure caramel is made by heating sugar, while the coloring found in cola like Pepsi and Coca-Cola is made by reacting sugars with ammonia. Jacobson said the chemicals the reaction produces have been proven by federal government tests to be carcinogens, a finding that the Coca-Cola Company vehemently disputes.

CSPI（公共利益科學中心）聲稱，純焦糖是由熱糖制成的，然而例如像可口可樂或者百事可樂中發(fā)現(xiàn)的焦糖色素則是由糖和阿摩尼亞產(chǎn)生化學反應制成的。Jacobson說，這種化學反應產(chǎn)生的物質(zhì)已經(jīng)由聯(lián)邦政府檢測表明為致癌物質(zhì)。對于這種說法，可口可樂公司表示強烈反對。

"CSPI's statement irresponsibly insinuates that the caramel used in our beverages is unsafe and maliciously raises cancer concerns among consumers," the company said in a statement. "This does a disservice to the very public for which CSPI purports to serve. In fact studies show that the caramel we use does not cause cancer."

可口可樂公司發(fā)表聲明稱：“CSPI在聲明中不負責任地質(zhì)疑我們飲料中使用的焦糖色素的安全性，這無端挑起了消費者對于癌癥的擔憂。這對于CSPI的服務對象來說反而是一種傷害行為。事實上，調(diào)查表明我們飲料中使用的焦糖色素根本不會致癌。”