UNITED STATES NEWS

Calif. Passover diners get the word: No Coke

Apr 6, 2012, 10:34 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Coca-Cola may be off the menu for the Passover feast _ at least in California.

As millions of Jews celebrate the Biblical story of the exodus from Egypt on Friday night, Coke says it’s been forced out of California by state laws on toxic chemicals.

Coke directed its suppliers last year to change the way they manufacture caramel to reduce levels of the chemical 4-methylimidazole, or 4-MEI, which California has listed as a carcinogen.

Although the manufacturing changes didn’t affect the formula or the taste, the resulting product doesn’t meet Jewish dietary laws for Passover, the company said.

As a result, the company announced that it will not offer “kosher for Passover” products in California until 2013.

Passover feasts are better known for ritual wine-drinking, but sodas can be included, although many observant Jews will not use products made with corn during Passover.

Although most Coca-Cola uses corn syrup sweetener, the Passover version is made with sugar.

A Cokeless Passover is disappointing, said Jason Moss, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.

“I think it would be wonderful for the community to be able to drink a Coke and have a smile,” he told the Pasadena Star-News.

For those who can’t do without a dose of bubbly brown sweetness, there may be hope. Some kosher stores have stocked Passover Coke from other states.

And there’s always Pepsi. As usual, the company is offering its sugar-based Pepsi Throwback, which uses real sugar and is acceptable for Passover, spokeswoman Andrea Canabal said.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

United States News

Miami-Dade residents wait in line to vote at the Joseph Caleb Center during the "Souls to the Polls...

Associated Press

Florida will vote on marijuana, abortion in an election that will test GOP’s dominance

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s election will test whether the state maintains its new reputation as a Republican stronghold, or whether Democrats make some gains by tapping into the support for abortion and marijuana ballot questions and the new energy Vice President Kamala Harris brings to the race. Gone are the days when Florida was […]

2 hours ago

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at lecturn...

Associated Press

Federal Reserve is set to cut rates again while facing a hazy post-election outlook

The Federal Reserve's move two days after Election Day is much easier to predict than the future president: With inflation continuing to cool, the Fed is set to cut interest rates for a second time this year.

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly higher as China begins major economic meeting

Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Monday as China’s leaders began a major meeting expected to bring fresh pledges of help for the world’s second-largest economy. Oil prices gained more than $1 a barrel after the OPEC+ oil producing nations said they would extend production cuts until the end of the year. No reason […]

4 hours ago

A Boeing employee looks at informational pamphlets before heading in to vote on a new contract offe...

Associated Press

Boeing machinists are holding a contract vote that could end their 7-week strike

Unionized factory workers at Boeing are voting Monday whether to accept a contract offer or to continue their strike, which has lasted more than seven weeks and shut down production of most Boeing passenger planes. A vote to ratify the contract would clear the way for the aerospace giant to resume airplane production and bring […]

7 hours ago

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters after delivering r...

Associated Press

Harris won’t say how she voted on California measure that would reverse criminal justice reforms

DETROIT (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday declined to say how she voted on a key ballot measure in her home state of California that would reverse criminal justice reforms approved in recent years. Harris punted on a question about the ballot initiative in comments to reporters while campaigning in the battleground state […]

12 hours ago

This combination of file photos shows Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris,...

Associated Press

Harris goes to church while Trump muses about reporters being shot

LITITZ, Pa. (AP) — Kamala Harris told a Michigan church on Sunday that God offers America a “divine plan strong enough to heal division,” while Donald Trump gave a profane and conspiracy-laden speech in which he mused about reporters being shot and labeled Democrats as “demonic.” The two major candidates took starkly different tones on […]

12 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DISC Desert Institute for Spine Care

The best methods to make your back pain disappear for good

Are you struggling with back pain that will not go away?

...

Bright Wealth Management

Here’s how to save money on retirement planning

PHOENIX -- With inflation still going on, people planning on retiring still face many issues on when they can retire and how much money they need to achieve it.

...

Sanderson Ford

3 storylines to get you revved up for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals training camp is just a couple weeks away starting on July 25, and Sanderson Ford is revved up and ready to go.

Calif. Passover diners get the word: No Coke