Latest news with #AnneGravett
The Independent
30-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Coca-Cola safety recall: The other drinks being taken off the shelves
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. Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water. It can cause iodine deficiency in people and is regulated with legal maximum residue limits for a range of foods, including fresh produce, according to Food Standards Scotland. What drinks are affected in Europe? 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. Are drinks in the UK affected? An investigation has been launched in the UK after Coca-Cola recalled drinks in some countries in Europe. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said on Monday it has now opened an investigation into whether any Coca-Cola products containing higher levels of the chemical are on sale in the UK. Anne Gravett of the FSA said on Monday: 'The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing 'higher levels' of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market. 'If we identify any unsafe food, we'll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.' Coca-Cola said it had not received any consumer complaints in Great Britain, and it had 'alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them'. How did this problem come to light? 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. What can consumers do? Coca-Cola 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 apologise 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.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What is chlorate? The chemical that has seen Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta removed from supermarket shelves
A number of fizzy drinks have been pulled from the shelves across the UK and Europe over a concern they contain high levels of chlorate. A select number of Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Sprite cans and bottles that were distributed across Belgium, Britain, France Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands since November have been affected. Five product lines had been shipped to Britain and have already been sold. Higher levels of the chemical were found during routine testing. The Food Standards Agency are now carrying out an investigation to see if any of the products in the UK contain high levels of chlorate. Anne Gravett of the FSA said on Monday evening: "The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing 'higher levels' of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market. If we identify any unsafe food, we'll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.' READ MORE: UK Health Security Agency issues HMPV advice and says 'most get' virus READ MORE: Paddy McGuinness details 'nerve-wracking' change as he makes career move after 8 years Coca-Cola's bottling partner, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said it had received 'no consumer complaints or concerns in Great Britain'. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here Chlorate is a chemical that is often present in food and water as a result of the chlorine-based disinfectants that are used in water treatment and food processing. It is a by-product of chlorine, which most people will recognise as a water treatment used for swimming pools, and jacuzzis, etc. Exposure to small amounts of chlorate is usually harmless, but higher levels could pose risks to some people, particularly infants and young children. It can have an impact on the function of the thyroid. While the main concern is with continued high exposure, a single-day intake is unlikely to cause serious harm, the European Food Safety Authority reported in 2015. Coca-Cola has not disclosed the levels that were detected in the affected batch.
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Coca-Cola safety recall: what other drinks are being taken off the shelves?
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. Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water. It can cause iodine deficiency in people and is regulated with legal maximum residue limits for a range of foods, including fresh produce, according to Food Standards Scotland. What drinks are affected in Europe? 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. Are drinks in the UK affected? An investigation has been launched in the UK after Coca-Cola recalled drinks in some countries in Europe. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said on Monday it has now opened an investigation into whether any Coca-Cola products containing higher levels of the chemical are on sale in the UK. Anne Gravett of the FSA said on Monday: 'The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing 'higher levels' of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market. 'If we identify any unsafe food, we'll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.' Coca-Cola said it had not received any consumer complaints in Great Britain, and it had 'alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them'. How did this problem come to light? 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. What can consumers do? Coca-Cola 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 apologise 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.'
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Coca-Cola investigated by UK authorities after urgent chemical recall of drinks in Europe
An investigation has been launched in the UK after Coca-Cola recalled drinks in some countries in Europe due to 'elevated levels' of chlorate. The popular soft drink manufacturer has urgently recalled cans of Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke, Appletiser and other beverages with production codes between 328 GE and 338 GE in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water. It can cause iodine deficiency in people and is regulated with legal maximum residue limits for a range of foods, including fresh produce, according to Food Standards Scotland. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said in a statement: 'The recall is focused on Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, where the majority of affected products have been withdrawn from sale. 'Routine testing identified that certain products contained elevated levels of chlorate. 'Independent expert analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low.' Coca-Cola said it had not received any consumer complaints in Great Britain, and it had 'alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them'. 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. Anne Gravett of the FSA said on Monday evening: 'The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing 'higher levels' of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market. 'If we identify any unsafe food, we'll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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".
