Coca-Cola Recalls Soda in Several Countries for Serious Health Concerns
Coca-Cola has issued an urgent recall for a variety of flavors offered across several countries due to a "serious" contamination risk.
The company announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28 that batches of Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid and Fuze Tea sold in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, as well as parts of France, Germany and Great Britain, were at risk for contamination with chlorate.
🎬 🎬
The chemical comes from the chlorine disinfectants used to treat water involved in food processing and was tracked back to one container in particular at its factory in the city of Ghent, located in Belgium.
According to The Associated Press, routine safety checks led to the discovery of a higher-than-normal level of chlorate found in both bottles and cans at the same production plant.
It takes a high quantity to cause acute illness according to the European Food Safety Authority, but a toxic dose can prevent blood from adequately absorbing oxygen and ultimately lead to kidney failure. However, children, particularly those with iodine deficiencies, are at increased risk of thyroid problems from chronic exposure to the chemical.
Experts told the publication it was incredibly unlikely that anyone would consume enough of the contaminated drinks to cause problems like vomiting or other serious illnesses, but the company is still warning customers not to drink the sodas in question.
Consumers in possession of affected batches, which can be identified by production codes 328 GE to 338 GE, can return them to the point of sale for a refund.
Next:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Drinking A Coke Could be Worse Than Eating A Candy Bar
The way you consume sugar might play a role in how bad it is for your health, according to a new study. Researchers at Utah's Brigham Young University, alongside institutions in Germany, found that drinking sugar was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to eating it. They claim their findings are the first time a clear dose-response relationship was determined between different sources of sugar and type 2 diabetes prevalence. 'This is the first study to draw clear dose-response relationships between different sugar sources and type 2 diabetes risk. It highlights why drinking your sugar—whether from soda or juice—is more problematic for health than eating it,' said Karen Della Corte, lead author and BYU nutritional science professor, per BYU News. While it may be the first study to establish a clear dose-response relationship, it is not the first time sugary drinks have been identified as a major driver of diabetes. Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported on another study that found that in 2020 alone, an estimated 2.2 million new cases of diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of heart disease globally were attributed to sugar-sweetened beverages. One reason drinks like soda may be worse is the metabolic effects. Drinks like Coke contain isolated sugars or sugars extracted from sources like fruit and then added to processed foods. These added sugars, found in everything from lemonade to cereals to soda, can drive a greater glycemic impact, which can overwhelm the liver's ability to metabolize them. In turn, this can lead to more liver fat and insulin resistance. The latest study used data from over half a million people worldwide. The researchers found that for each additional daily 12-ounce serving of soda and other beverages sweetened with sugar, a person's chances of developing type 2 diabetes rose by 25%. Notably, the inverse effect was seen for 20 grams of table sugar and total sugar consumed in the same time frame. 'Rather than condemning all added sugars, future dietary guidelines might consider the differential effects of sugar based on its source and form,' said Della Corte.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Check Your Fridge: Dr Pepper Is Recalling More Than 19,000 Cans in 3 States
The FDA has reclassified a recall for Dr Pepper Zero Sugar as a Class II recall. The 19,203 affected sodas were recalled due to incorrect labeling, as the beverages were found to contain the same amount of sugar as regular Dr Pepper. Customers who have purchased the recalled sodas, which were sold across three states, can return to them to their place of purchase for a full United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has upgraded an important recall for Dr Pepper over critical mislabeling. On May 23, the FDA and Dr Pepper issued an initial, voluntary recall for more than 19,000 cans of Dr Pepper Zero Sugar, which, as their name implies, were labeled as having no sugar, but were later found to contain the full amount of sugar included in classic Dr Pepper. This makes the beverages potentially dangerous for those who are sensitive to sugar, including people with diabetes. On June 5, the FDA reclassified the recall as a Class II, which it describes as a "situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote." As outlined in the FDA's notice, the recall includes 19,203 cans, which were packaged in 12- or 24-pack cases of 12-fluid-ounce cans. Affected items will have the product code XXXXRS05165, and each case comes with a 'Best By' date of February 16, 2026. The cases were distributed in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. If you have already bought the recalled product, the FDA notes that you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund. Unfortunately for consumers, this isn't the only beverage currently affected by an FDA recall. Earlier in June, Coca-Cola issued a voluntary recall of its Topo Chico mineral water in five states due to concerns about potential Pseudomonas contamination, a bacteria that can be deadly to individuals with weakened immune systems. The Topo Chico recall included five states, Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, where the product was distributed to 40 different Costco locations. Just like with the recalled Dr Pepper Zero Sugar, consumers can simply return the mineral water to their place of purchase for a refund. Related: 20 Million Eggs Pulled from Shelves After CDC Traces Deadly Bacteria to California Facility Although it may seem like there's been an increase in the number of food and drink recalls over the past year, this isn't quite the case — but the number of hospitalizations associated with recalls is up year-over-year. As Food & Wine previously reported, while the combined number of recalls issued by the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) declined in 2023, the number of hospitalizations and deaths caused by recalled items more than doubled, totaling 487 hospitalizations and 19 deaths in 2024. If you've accidentally purchased or consumed a recalled item, it's critical to take the issue seriously and reach out to your medical provider as recalled: Dr Pepper Zero Sugar, packaged in 12- or 24-pack cases of 12-fluid-ounce cans Reason for recall: Incorrectly labeled as sugar-free Number of cans recalled: 19,203 Product code: XXXXRS05165 States affected: Florida, Georgia, and South CarolinaRead the original article on Food & Wine
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Buzz Feed
Experts Explain Why European Food Is Better For You
We've all been there. You go abroad — or have a friend who did (let's call her Rebecca) — and suddenly she's unbearable. She won't stop talking about Bar-the-lona and how the tomatoes just tasted better, how walking everywhere changed her life, how pasta in Rome doesn't even count as carbs, and how Americans 'just don't get it.' But as insufferable as she may be, Rebecca might actually have a point — especially when it comes to the food. At some point, a lot of us come back from Europe feeling…better. Healthier. Lighter. More alive. Maybe it's the slower pace, the extra steps on cobblestone streets, the two-day vacationship with a man named Matteo, or the fact that your nervous system finally got a break from interpreting every period in a Slack message as a personal attack. Or maybe it's because you inhaled bread, cheese, wine, and pasta daily, and somehow came back feeling leaner. So what gives? Is the food actually better over there, or are we all just drunk on Aperol and vacation delusion? Dr. Sandy Ziya, a functional medicine physician, says food quality in Europe really does make a difference. One of the biggest culprits behind that post-vacation glow? A break from ultra-processed foods. 'In my experience, when my patients visit Europe, they do feel healthier,' she says. 'There are many aspects of the processed food and the preparation of food that contribute to that.' And here's the thing: ultra-processed foods aren't just heavily refined — they're also loaded with additives, preservatives, and lab-made ingredients you can't pronounce. That's where the real trouble starts. 'In Europe, food colorings like Red Dye 3 and additives such as glyphosate [yep, the same stuff in Roundup weed killer] are prohibited,' says Dr. Ziya. That's because the European Food Safety Authority requires additives to be proven safe before they're approved. In the U.S., the FDA is a little looser. Instead, we've got the GRAS loophole — short for 'Generally Recognized As Safe.' It allows companies to add ingredients based on expert opinion or historical use, which sounds okay in theory, until you remember that food companies have literally paid scientists to claim cereal was a health food. So, yeah — 'safe' is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Hey, you! Wanna cook easy recipes in step-by-step mode? Download the free Tasty app right now. Dr. Supriya Rao, a gastroenterologist, explains that all those additives and preservatives can do more than just make you feel sluggish — they can mess with your gut on a cellular level. 'Some common American additives (like carrageenan, polysorbate 80, and certain oils) may alter gut bacteria or increase permeability and increase cytokine production, contributing to inflammation and digestive issues over time,' she says. Zooming out, Dr. Rao adds that the broader issue is how the Standard American Diet stacks all of this together. 'It's full of processed foods, sugary drinks, fast foods, red meat, alcohol, and additives. Eating like this consistently drives chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, gut dysbiosis, weight gain, and more — all of which are foundational triggers for diseases like type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular issues.' So yes, our food might be slowly killing us. But, hey, at least it's convenient, right? Here's the thing: It's not about guilt-tripping you into growing your own kale or never eating a gas station Snickers again. It's about awareness. Because once you know what you're up against, you can actually do something about it. 'Most people don't even know they're consuming ultra-processed food at every meal,' says Dr. Ziya. 'But the lack of satiety — that never-full feeling — is a major clue. Processed foods hijack your hunger cues.' If you've ever eaten a full bag of Doritos and still felt snacky, you know what she's talking about. So what can we do? Short of moving to a seaside village in Sicily, eating tomatoes grown out of your own garden, and making your own pasta with locally milled flour (honestly, tempting), here are a few real-world tips: — Read ingredient lists. If it has 32 ingredients and you can't pronounce half of them, maybe skip it.— Prioritize organic when possible. Yes, it's more expensive. But when you can, do it. Especially for produce and animal products.— Look for 'banned in Europe' ingredients. If it's banned over there and allowed here, consider it a red flag (not a sexy red flag either).— Cook more at home. Even just a couple of meals a week can help cut down on additives.— Follow the 80/20 rule. You don't have to eat clean all the time; just try to make it your maybe, just maybe, we start holding food manufacturers and government regulators accountable: lobby for better labeling, ask questions, and vote with your fork. Because right now, Europe isn't winning the food game by accident. They're winning because they actually care about public health. Wild, right? TL;DR: Yes, European food is generally healthier. Their food safety standards are stricter, and their ingredient lists are shorter. Your vacation glow isn't all in your head — your gut, your sleep, and your mood probably did improve because of what (and how) you ate. But you don't have to hop on a plane every time you want to feel better. Start small. Stay curious. And hey, if you happen to meet a hot man while shopping for organic zucchini in Trader Joe's, that's just a bonus. Thinking of cooking at home tonight? Download the free Tasty app, where you can follow step-by-step instructions for over 7,500 recipes — no subscription required.
