The European Coca-Cola traffic jam group has just ordered the recall of several of its drinks after detecting high levels of chlorate, a substance potentially harmful to health from chlorine disinfectants.
- Coca-Cola launched a massive recall in Europe of several drinks, including Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fuze Tea, due to high chlorate levels, detected during a routine check in Belgium.
- The products concerned, distributed since November in several countries, present a potential risk for health, especially in children defined in iodine.
- The majority of lots have already been removed from the shelves, and Coca-Cola says that the risk is “very low”.
The European Coca-Cola traffic jam group announced Monday 27 January a massive reminder Of several of its products-Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fuze Tea and other drinks-in several European countries, after the detection of high chlorate levels, a substance potentially harmful to health.
The problem was detected during a routine check in the Ghent production site in Belgium. According to Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium, the cans and glass bottles concerned have been distributed since November in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Great Britain and Luxembourg. “We do not have a specific figure, but it is clear that this is a considerable quantity”,, AFP told AFP.
What are the risks of health chlorate?
Chlorate comes from chlorine -based disinfectants, widely used in water treatment and the food manufacturing process. In 2015, theEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported that prolonged exposure to chlorate could pose health risks, especially in children with light to moderate iodine deficiencies.
“A high contribution of chlorate on a single day could be toxic to humans because it can limit the capacity of the blood to absorb oxygen, thus resulting in renal failure”, Add EFSA. That said, “Even considering the highest estimated levels” In food, “It is unlikely that the total contribution of a single day exceeds the recommended level for consumers of all age groups.”
If Coca-Cola has not specified how much chlorate corresponds to the “High levels” who led to the recall, the company said that “The analysis of independent experts concluded that the probability of an associated risk is very low”.
How to spot the products concerned?
To date, “The majority of the products concerned and not sold have already been removed from the shelves, and we continue to take measures to withdraw the remaining products from the market”wanted to reassure Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium. According to AFSCAthe Belgian agency for the safety of the food chain, the recall is limited to the products bearing a code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE, including brands like Minute Maid or Tropico.
In France, “Only two lots” concerned were distributed in supermarkets, said the company. They contained fuze fishing cans, 33 cl format, and zero coca-cola glass bottles, 1 liter format, respectively stamped with codes 335 ge2 and 337 ge1. But the French subsidiary said that at this stage, the product recall does not apply to the French market.
