The soda industry has taken hits as America seeks to build a healthier diet. Soda’s sugar levels have been criticized prompting many schools to remove soda from K-12 schools throughout the nation. On Thursday, however, the FDA said it is studying caramel coloring in soda, again.

The Food and Drug Administration says it is conducting new studies on the safety of caramel coloring in soft drinks and other foods even with no previous research showing a link between caramel coloring and health risks. The FDA’s announcement is a response to a recent study by Consumer Reports that shows varying levels of 4-methylimidazole – an impurity formed in some levels of caramel coloring during the manufacturing process, according to Business Week. The issue was discovered in 12 brands of soda from five different manufactures.

There are many agencies that believe the chemical may cause cancer, including the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the state of California. The Golden State limits manufactures to 29 micrograms of exposure for the average consumer on a daily basis.

According to CNN, foods that exceed that limit have to carry a warning label that reads: “WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer. However, when Consumer Reports purchased sodas in California and had them analyzed it found that a 12-ounce serving of Pepsi One or Malta Goya exceeded the levels permitted and were being distributed without the required warning label.

According to CNN, Dr. Urvashi Rangan, a Consumer Reports toxicologist, said that “there is no reason why consumers need to be exposed to this avoidable and unnecessary risk that can stem from coloring food and beverages brown.”

This finding has promoted further investigation into the chemical levels of some of the nations top brands. According to New York Daily News, PepsiCo spokesperson Aurora Gonzalez said Thursday that the company is “extremely concerned” with the most recent report.