What you need to know about the UK Diet Coke recall
Coca-Cola is recalling cans of several of its products across the UK after it confirmed some of its drinks were found to contain higher-than-normal levels of chlorate.
The recall began earlier in the week as drinks were pulled from shelves in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands after testing revealed 'elevated levels' of the chemical.
Long-term consumption of chlorate can have a significant impact on a person's health and only minimal trace amounts of it are allowed in products sold in the UK.
On Tuesday, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there had been a 'limited distribution to the UK' of Coca-Cola soft drinks containing higher levels of chlorate.
Coca-Cola's bottling partner, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said the majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK, were not affected.
It 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.
Here Yahoo News UK has compiled all you need to know about the recall
All affected cans have the production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE, which can be found on the base of the can.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said only a "small number" of their products have been recalled.
They said: "The majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK are not impacted."
The recall includes imported cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which were only sent to cafes and restaurants during a limited time period.
Imported cans of 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks which were sent only to supermarkets in the UK have also been recalled.
Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water.
In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority found that levels of chlorate in drinking water and foods were too high and could result in serious health effects, especially among infants and children.
These included impaired functioning of the thyroid due to inhibition of iodine uptake.
The chemical has been linked to potentially serious health problems, notably among children by interfering with the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.
Wednesday 29 January 2025 - Coca-Cola Europacific Partners recalls a small range of soft drinks as a precaution because of elevated levels of Chlorate #FoodAlert https://t.co/Uw5ZuZ24Rz pic.twitter.com/My4nGdfNH8
— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) January 29, 2025
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 Europacific Partners 'Independent analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low."
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners apologised for the recall and urged anyone who had a contaminated can to contact them.
They said: "For the reassurance of consumers, we encourage anyone with an affected can to please call our customer service team on 0800 227711 who will be able to help."
What is chlorate? The chemical that has seen Coca-Cola and Fanta removed from shelves (WalesOnline)
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