Coca Cola initiates widespread recall across Europe
Chlorate, a chemical associated with potential kidney failure at elevated levels, was found in the company's products. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners has issued a recall for several of its beverages across various European nations after discovering elevated levels of chlorate in these products.
This chemical compound, which is a byproduct of chlorine disinfectants, is usually found in low doses in drinking water, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The European Food Safety Authority highlighted potential health risks linked to long-term exposure in children in 2015. It stated that chlorate “can inhibit iodine uptake,” and that high concentrations consumed over a short period may reduce the “blood’s ability to absorb oxygen, leading to kidney failure.”
On Monday, the branch of Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners in Belgium announced it was “recalling a number of products due to excessively high chlorate levels.” The affected items include cans and refillable glass bottles with production codes ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE, while plastic bottles are not part of the recall.
Brands involved in the recall include Coca‑Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss, and Tropico, according to the company’s statement.
“Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners Belgium asks consumers not to consume these products and to return the affected products with these codes to the point of sale for a refund,” the company advised, while extending apologies to consumers.
The company also stated that “independent expert research concludes that the risk to consumers is very low.”
According to AFP, a company representative noted that the beverages had been distributed in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the UK since November.
“We do not have a precise figure, but it is clear that it is a considerable quantity,” Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium acknowledged, stressing that the “majority of the affected and unsold products have already been removed from store shelves.”
High levels of chlorate were detected during a routine inspection at the production facility in Ghent, Belgium, as reported by AFP sources.
In October, Coca-Cola HBC Austria GmbH also recalled several batches of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and MezzoMix as a “precautionary measure.” The company stated it could “not rule out that small metal fragments can be found in a very limited number of 0,5l PET bottles due to a technical fault in production.”
“We advise against consuming the potentially affected products due to a possible health risk,” the company said at that time.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
This chemical compound, which is a byproduct of chlorine disinfectants, is usually found in low doses in drinking water, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The European Food Safety Authority highlighted potential health risks linked to long-term exposure in children in 2015. It stated that chlorate “can inhibit iodine uptake,” and that high concentrations consumed over a short period may reduce the “blood’s ability to absorb oxygen, leading to kidney failure.”
On Monday, the branch of Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners in Belgium announced it was “recalling a number of products due to excessively high chlorate levels.” The affected items include cans and refillable glass bottles with production codes ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE, while plastic bottles are not part of the recall.
Brands involved in the recall include Coca‑Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss, and Tropico, according to the company’s statement.
“Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners Belgium asks consumers not to consume these products and to return the affected products with these codes to the point of sale for a refund,” the company advised, while extending apologies to consumers.
The company also stated that “independent expert research concludes that the risk to consumers is very low.”
According to AFP, a company representative noted that the beverages had been distributed in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the UK since November.
“We do not have a precise figure, but it is clear that it is a considerable quantity,” Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium acknowledged, stressing that the “majority of the affected and unsold products have already been removed from store shelves.”
High levels of chlorate were detected during a routine inspection at the production facility in Ghent, Belgium, as reported by AFP sources.
In October, Coca-Cola HBC Austria GmbH also recalled several batches of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and MezzoMix as a “precautionary measure.” The company stated it could “not rule out that small metal fragments can be found in a very limited number of 0,5l PET bottles due to a technical fault in production.”
“We advise against consuming the potentially affected products due to a possible health risk,” the company said at that time.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
