Coca-Cola has announced some of its products are being withdrawn from supermarkets, cafes and restaurants in the UK due to concerns about higher levels of the chemical chlorate.
The update comes after the Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the company's bottling partner, said batches of Appletiser, Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero were pulled from the shelves in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands earlier this week after testing revealed "elevated levels" of the chemical.
In its statement the fizzy drinks giant’s bottling partner, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said: “Following ongoing dialogue with the UK Food Standards Agency, we are recalling a small number of imported cans of 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks which were sent only to supermarkets in the UK.
“We are also removing a small amount of tall, imported cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which were sent only to cafes and restaurants during a limited time period.
“All affected cans have the production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE, which can be found on the base of the can.
“The majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK are not impacted.
“Whilst independent analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low, 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.
“No other Coca-Cola products are affected by the issue. The quality and safety of our products is our top priority and we’re sorry that on this occasion, a small number of our products have not met our high standards, and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.”
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.
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.
In a statement, on Tuesday Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said it had "flagged" this issue to Britain's food safety authorities and was in communication with them.
It added: "Independent expert analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low.”
