Batches of Coke, Sprite, Fanta Recalled for Chemical
Chemical Contamination Found in Belgium Production Plant
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.
Recalled Products and Countries
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. Additionally, a very limited quantity of stock was also shipped to France, Germany, and Great Britain, but no produce was recalled in those countries.
Health Risks Associated with Chlorate
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.
Company Response and Consumer Advice
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. The company 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.
Expert Opinion
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.”
Conclusion
Coca-Cola has taken prompt action to recall the affected products and advise consumers to return them to the point of sale. While the health risks associated with chlorate are serious, experts believe that the likelihood of harm is low, and consumers would need to consume large quantities of the contaminated product to experience any adverse effects.
FAQs
* What is chlorate, and what are its health risks?
+ Chlorate is a chemical that comes from chlorine disinfectants used in water treatment. It has been linked to potentially serious health problems, notably among children, by interfering with the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.
* Which products are affected by the recall?
+ Batches of Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid, and Fuze Tea with production codes 328 GE to 338 GE are affected by the recall.
* Which countries are affected by the recall?
+ The recall concerns drinks in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. A very limited quantity of stock was also shipped to France, Germany, and Great Britain, but no produce was recalled in those countries.
* What should I do if I have purchased one of the affected products?
+ Do not consume the product, and return it to the point of sale to obtain a refund.
