Major recall ordered of soft drinks made at Coca-Cola factory over potential health risks
Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and other soft drinks are being recalled across Europe because of safety fears, after the discovery of high levels of a chemical by-product from chlorine disinfectants.
Some of the drinks, sealed in cans and glass bottles at a factory in , contain "excessively high chlorate content".
The affected products are: Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico. Not all the brands are widely sold in the UK.
Europacific Partners Belgium told the AFP news agency the contaminated drinks have been distributed in Belgium, , , , and since November.
Chlorate, which can cause iodine deficiency, is a by-product of chlorine disinfectants widely used in water treatment and food processing.
"The majority of the affected and unsold products have already been removed from store shelves and we continue to take measures to remove all remaining products from the market," Coca-Cola told AFP.
Commenting on the quantities involved, the firm added: "We do not have a precise figure, but it is clear that it is a considerable quantity".
The drinks maker said the issue was discovered during checks at a plant in Ghent.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has not yet issued a recall in the UK but is "investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing 'higher levels' of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market," said the FSA's Anne Gravett.
Read more from Sky News:David Coote: Sorry over 'cocaine video'
Meanwhile, Belgium's food safety regulator, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA), has issued a recall "due to excessively high chlorate content".
"The recall is limited to brands in cans and returnable glass bottles bearing a production code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE," said a statement .
The production code can be found on the bottom of the can or on the neck/label of the glass bottle.
The AFP news agency said Coca-Cola's French branch suggests independent experts had "concluded that the probability of an associated risk" was "very low".
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Watchdog warns allergy sufferers about Dubai chocolate
The UK food watchdog has warned people with allergies not to buy imported Dubai chocolate if they have any doubts about ingredients because of different labelling standards. The Food Standards Agency's chief scientific advisor said shoppers should stick to "trusted" retailers in the UK as the products they sell are more likely to be made for the domestic market. Dubai chocolate has become hugely popular fuelled by so-called "influencers" on TikTok, leading UK supermarkets such as Waitrose and Lidl to impose per person limits to meet demand. But a recent investigation by the BBC found several TikTok Shop users selling food without listing allergen information. UK businesses are legally required to declare if a product they sell contains one of the 14 regulated allergens - including nuts and milk. The FSA found some imported Dubai-style chocolate products may not have been intended for sale in the UK and therefore lack a full ingredients list or allergen labelling that are legally required. Professor Robin May, the FSA's chief chief scientific advisor, said: "Some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies." He added: "As it's difficult for consumers to tell the difference between products made for the UK and those that aren't, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, we advise that you do not buy the product unless you're certain it's intended for sale here." By law, products made to UK standards must have labels that have the ingredients written in English, the name of the food, a best before or use by date, and the name and address of a UK or European Union (EU) business that is responsible for information on the product. If the food is not from the EU or UK then an importer must be listed. The FSA said it had worked with local authorities to identify a number of Dubai chocolate products that posed a health risk to consumers with allergies. It said some of these products may also contain additives and colours which aren't allowed to be sold in the UK. The popular treat combines the flavours of chocolate, pistachio and tahini with filo pastry, and is inspired by the Arab dessert Knafeh. The regulator is now sampling products to work out the scale of the problem. It said shoppers should report any concerns to their local authority and is working with allergy charities to raise awareness. TikTok Shop food listings 'putting people at risk' From Dubai to Lidl: How one woman's pregnancy craving launched a craze
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Britain's FSA warns Jolly Rancher products 'unsafe to eat'
June 12 (UPI) -- British consumers and businesses are cautioned against buying sweets from US brand Hershey as they are "unsafe to eat," according to the Food Standards Agency. On Wednesday, the FSA listed Jolly Rancher products as a safety risk. They contain chemical compounds -- mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons, or MOAH, and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon or MOSH. "MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time. MOAH is a genotoxic carcinogen; therefore no exposure is without risk to human health", the FSA said. The sweets that the FSA is warning about include Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Misfits Gummies, and Berry Gummies. "Food businesses selling these products in the UK are advised to immediately stop sales, undertake product withdrawals and where there have been retail sales, to undertake product recalls," the FSA said "This is because the products are unsafe and do not meet UK market legal requirements. The Hershey Company, who is the brand owner, has taken action to remove these products from the UK market". The agency recommended that anyone in possession of the products not eat them and throw them away.


UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
Britain's FSA warns Jolly Rancher products 'unsafe to eat'
June 12 (UPI) -- British consumers and businesses are cautioned against buying sweets from US brand Hershey as they are "unsafe to eat," according to the Food Standards Agency. On Wednesday, the FSA listed Jolly Rancher products as a safety risk. They contain chemical compounds -- mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons, or MOAH, and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon or MOSH. "MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time. MOAH is a genotoxic carcinogen; therefore no exposure is without risk to human health", the FSA said. The sweets that the FSA is warning about include Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Misfits Gummies, and Berry Gummies. "Food businesses selling these products in the UK are advised to immediately stop sales, undertake product withdrawals and where there have been retail sales, to undertake product recalls," the FSA said "This is because the products are unsafe and do not meet UK market legal requirements. The Hershey Company, who is the brand owner, has taken action to remove these products from the UK market". The agency recommended that anyone in possession of the products not eat them and throw them away.