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Tag: chlorate
Coca-Cola Recalls Drinks in Parts of Europe Over High Levels of Chlorate
Coca-Cola’s bottler in Europe said on Monday that it had recalled some drinks sold in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands after discovering high levels of a chemical called chlorate during routine testing at a bottling facility.
The recalled products included Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico in cans and glass bottles, according to a statement from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Exposure to chlorate, a byproduct of using chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant and to control the odor and taste of water, can cause kidney problems and affect thyroid function, according to the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration.
The agency added in a statement announcing the recall that “a risk, especially for children, cannot be ruled out” given the chlorine content detected.
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority issued a warning on Monday urging consumers not to drink the products. Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain also announced a recall.
No other recalls were initiated outside those three countries, a spokesman for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. He added that the company was in contact with regulators in Germany, France and Britain, where a “limited quantity” of products had also been shipped. The high levels were detected at a bottling facility in Ghent, Belgium, he said.
The recall affected products with production codes ranging from “328 GE” to “338 GE,” the company said. Those codes can be found on bottles and cans.
The company spokesman said that an independent expert analysis had concluded the likelihood of any associated risk for consumers was “very low.” The company also published a list of recalled products.
The spokesman did not immediately specify how many products had been affected by the recall. The bottler said on its website that its facility in Ghent processed 66,000 glass bottles and 120,000 cans per hour, operating around the clock.
The recall in the three countries prompted reviews of Coca-Cola goods elsewhere in Europe. Anne Gravett, an official at Britain’s Food Standards Agency, said in a statement that it was looking into whether any Coca-Cola products with high levels of chlorate were in that market.
Claire Moses and Gregory Schmidt contributed reporting from London.
Attention all Coca-Cola fans in Europe: Coca-Cola has issued a recall for certain drinks in parts of Europe due to high levels of chlorate being detected in the products. Chlorate is a chemical compound that can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.The affected products include certain batches of Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke, and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. The recall is limited to specific regions in Europe, so be sure to check the batch numbers on your bottles if you have purchased any of these products recently.
Coca-Cola is taking this issue very seriously and is working to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. If you believe you have purchased a recalled product, please return it to the store where you bought it for a refund or exchange.
Your health and safety are of the utmost importance, so please take this recall seriously and check your Coca-Cola products to ensure they are safe for consumption. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
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Coca-Cola issues safety recall of soft drinks in Europe over chemical chlorate concerns
BRUSSELS (AP) — Coca-Cola has recalled some of its soft drinks in Europe after higher-than-normal levels of a chemical called chlorate were detected in bottles and cans at a production plant in Belgium.
Batches of Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid and Fuze Tea were among the products recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the company said on Tuesday. The recall concerns drinks with production codes 328 GE to 338 GE.
“We are also in contact with authorities in a very small number of European markets – France, Germany and Great Britain – where a very limited quantity of stock was also shipped,” the company said. No produce was recalled in those countries.
Health authorities in Denmark, Portugal and Romania were notified by the European Union’s rapid alert system to investigate whether shop shelves or vending machines had been stocked with potentially contaminated soft drinks. It designated the risk as “serious.”
Chlorate comes from chlorine disinfectants which are used in the treatment of water used for food processing. The chemical has been linked to potentially serious health problems, notably among children by interfering with the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.
Coca-Cola said that it tracked the problem back to one specific container used in its water treatment process at its factory in the city of Ghent while conducting routine safety checks.
It has advised customers not to consume drinks from the batches concerned and to return them to the point of sale to obtain a refund. “We apologize to consumers and our commercial partners,” the company said.
Experts say consumers would have to drink a lot of any product contaminated with chlorate to suffer vomiting or other serious illness.
“It is almost non-existent or very unlikely that those large quantities are present in it,” Philippe Jorens, a poisons and critical care professor at Antwerp University Hospital, told Belgian public broadcaster VTM. “You have to have consumed so many different bottles of it to possibly see an effect.”
Coca-Cola has issued a safety recall of various soft drinks in Europe due to concerns over the presence of the chemical chlorate. Chlorate is a byproduct of the disinfection process used in water treatment plants and can be harmful if consumed in high levels.The affected products include various Coca-Cola brand sodas, as well as some Sprite and Fanta flavors. The recall is being conducted out of an abundance of caution, as the levels of chlorate found in the drinks are still within legal limits.
Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled products are advised to return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. Coca-Cola has also set up a hotline for consumers to call with any questions or concerns.
The safety of our consumers is our top priority, and we are working closely with regulatory authorities to address this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this recall may cause and appreciate the understanding of our customers. Thank you for your continued support.
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Coca-Cola recall due to ‘excessively high chlorate content’ – DW – 01/28/2025
What you need to know
- Coca-Cola recalls drinks due to chlorate contamination
- Chlorate occurs in food and drinks as a byproduct of chlorine disinfectant
- Consumption poses a low to moderate health risk, especially in children
The timing couldn’t be worse for Coca-Cola: Having just announced the arrival of a new flavor for the US market — Coca-Cola Orange Cream, coming February — the international company was forced to recall a range of its drinks, distributed in northwestern Europe.
An “excessively high chlorate content” was detected in cans and bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico, said the company in a press statement, January 27, 2025.
How to know your product is affected: Look for a production code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE.
Check the production codes on Coca-Cola cans and bottles, seen here, to know whether your beverage is part of the recallImage: Coca-Cola What are chlorates?
Chlorates are salts of chloric acid — a compound containing chlorine and oxygen, also known as an oxoacid or oxyacid.
They can occur as a byproduct of chlorine-based disinfectants used in food and drink production, including agriculture. Such disinfectants may be used to sanitize water systems, but can leave chlorate residues in the products
Sodium and potassium chlorates have been used in pesticides but are now prohibited in the European Union.
In the US, meanwhile, sodium chlorate is permitted. A memorandum published in 2020 by the US Environmental Protection Agency stated “there does not appear to be a concern at this time” in pesticides.
How dangerous is it to consume chlorates?
The Coca-Cola company said in its press statement “[l]ow levels of chlorate are found in common foods and beverages, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, diary products, and drinking water,” but that “[i]ndependent expert analysis concludes that any associated risk to consumers is very low.”
However, in an oft-quoted study on the “[r]isks for public health related to the presence of chlorate in food” (2015), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stated that chronic exposure to chlorate could cause the inhibition of iodine intake: “Chronic exposures are of concern in particular in younger age groups with mild or moderate iodine deficiency.”
When the intake of iodine is inhibited in humans, it can cause temporary changes to thyroid hormone levels in high-risk groups. But the inhibition of iodine intake through chlorate is “reversible,” according to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).
After assessing the results of laboratory tests on non-human animals, the EFSA estimated a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 3 µg (micrograms) chlorate/kg of body weight for humans.
The BfR says a “one-time intake is regarded as non-critical” for human health. However, we are unable to say whether a “one-time intake” is the same as one can or bottle in this instance because Coca-Cola has not said how much chlorate was detected in cans or bottles.
Where else are chlorates found in food?
The BfR says chlorates have “frequently” been detected in deep-frozen vegetables, fruit juices and lettuce and herbs. It says chlorates may be found in these foods because of “glazing” techniques, the dilution of juices concentrates and the washing of vegetables with contaminated water.
Chlorate is also detected in drinking water. According to the EFSA, drinking water is the main source of chlorate in the diet, possibly contributing up to 60% of chronic chlorate exposure for infants.
The WHO has proposed a maximum of 0.7mg chlorate per liter for it to be safe to consume.
Edited by: Fred Schwaller
Selected sources:
Coca-Cola product recall: Rappel de produits de Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgique 27/01/2025 https://www.coca-cola.com/content/dam/onexp/be/nl/media-2025/afsca_product_information_fr_ccep_final.pdf (in French)
Rappel de produits de Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners Belux https://www.coca-cola.com/be/fr/media-center/rappel-ccep (in French)
Risks for public health related to the presence of chlorate in food, the European Food Safety Authority https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4135
FAQs about chlorate in food, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/frequently_asked_questions_about_chlorate_in_food-204084.html
Coca-Cola Recall Alert: ‘Excessively High Chlorate Content’ Found in Some ProductsAttention all Coca-Cola lovers! A recent recall has been issued for certain Coca-Cola products due to an ‘excessively high chlorate content’ that has been found in some batches. The German consumer protection organization, Stiftung Warentest, has reported that the levels of chlorate in these products exceed the legal limit and could pose a potential health risk.
Coca-Cola has stated that they are working closely with authorities to investigate the issue and ensure the safety of their products. In the meantime, they have urged consumers to check the batch numbers of their Coca-Cola products and refrain from consuming any products that fall within the identified batches.
If you have purchased any Coca-Cola products recently, be sure to check the batch number and compare it to the list provided by Coca-Cola. If your product is affected, it is recommended to return it to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange.
Stay informed and stay safe, Coca-Cola lovers! Let’s hope for a swift resolution to this issue and a return to enjoying our favorite fizzy drink without any worries.
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#CocaCola #recall #due #excessively #high #chlorate #contentCoca-Cola recalls drinks in Europe over ‘higher levels’ of chemical chlorate | Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has recalled its drinks in some countries across Europe after detecting “higher levels” of the chemical chlorate.
Cans and glass bottles containing elevated levels of the substance were distributed in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands since November, the company said on Monday.
It added that five product lines had been shipped to Britain at the end of last year and had already been sold.
Affected products include the Coke, Fanta, Minute Maid, Sprite and Tropico brands, according to the Belgian branch of Coca-Cola’s international bottling and distribution operation.
Chlorate can be found in foods as it derives from chlorine disinfectants widely used in water treatment and food processing.
Exposure to high levels of the chemical compound can cause health issues including thyroid problems, especially among children and babies.
In a 2015 scientific opinion, the European Food Safety Authority said long-term exposure to chlorate posed a potential health concern for children, especially those with mild or moderate iodine deficiency.
A Coca-Cola spokesperson told the BBC: “Independent expert analysis concludes that any associated risk for consumers is very low.”
Affected batches of Coke and Fuze Tea were delivered in France but currently the recall order did not apply to the French market, it added.
The company said it had not received any consumer complaints in Britain and that it had “alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them”.
“We do not have a precise figure, but it is clear that it is a considerable quantity,” the firm said of the amount of drinks involved.
The higher levels of chlorate were discovered during routine testing at the company’s production facility in Ghent, north-west Belgium, the AFP news agency reported.
The majority of the affected and unsold products had been withdrawn from shelves, according to AFP, and the company was in the process of withdrawing the rest from the market.
Coca-Cola said it “considers the quality and safety of its products as its top priority”.
Anne Gravett, from the UK’s Food Standards Agency, said it was investigating.
She told the BBC: “If we identify any unsafe food, we’ll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.”
Coca-Cola has announced a voluntary recall of some of its drinks in Europe due to “higher levels” of the chemical chlorate being detected. The recall affects certain batches of Coca-Cola products in several countries across Europe.Chlorate is a chemical that can form in small amounts during the disinfection of water. While the levels of chlorate detected in the affected drinks are not believed to pose a significant health risk, Coca-Cola is taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its consumers.
The affected batches have been identified and removed from shelves, and customers who have purchased these products are advised not to consume them. Coca-Cola has stated that it is working closely with regulatory authorities to investigate the issue and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The safety and quality of Coca-Cola products are of utmost importance to the company, and it is committed to ensuring that its drinks meet the highest standards of excellence. Customers with any concerns or questions about the recall are encouraged to contact Coca-Cola’s customer service for more information.
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