Bad news for soda lovers: several major brands are being recalled as a matter of urgency!
If you've recently bought Coca-Cola soft drinks, be sure to check their production code before consuming them... The brand's European bottler has announced a massive recall due to excessive levels of chlorate, a chemical residue that can present a health risk. Which products are affected? What are the risks for consumers? How do you know if your drink is part of the recall? We explain everything:
Which Coca-Cola soft drinks are recalled?
Since January 27, Coca-Cola has issued a recall affecting several beverages distributed in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Great Britain. The recall exclusively concerns returnable cans and glass bottles, put into circulation since November 2023.
- Products concerned:
- Fanta: The flavors concerned are: orange, zero sugar orange, citrus, exotic, lemon, zero sugar pineapple grapefruit.
- Minute Maid: The target flavors are multivitamin and apple.
- Coca-Cola: The target flavors are: original taste, zero sugar, zero sugar no caffeine, light, cherry, zero sugar cherry, zero sugar vanilla.
- Nalu: The flavors concerned are: exotic, botanical yuzu rosemary, frost, botanical strawberry rhubarb.
- Royal Bliss: The target flavors are: tonic water, citrus ylang ylang.
- Sprite: The flavors concerned are: lemon lime, zero sugar.
- Tropico: The flavors concerned are: original.
- How to check if your drink is affected?
The recall concerns only products with a production code between 328 GE and 338 GE (inclusive) (source: Afsca). You can find this code :
- Under the can
- On the label of the glass bottle
Plastic bottles (PET), beverage fountains and tetra packs are not affected.
Why are these soft drinks being recalled?
During checks on its production site in Ghent (Belgium), Coca-Cola detected excessive levels of chlorate, a substance that can be present in the water used to manufacture beverages. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) explains that chlorate often comes from chlorinated water used to clean industrial equipment.
Although Coca-Cola insists that the immediate risk is limited, prolonged exposure to this substance can pose a problem, especially for children suffering from iodine deficiency.
What are the health risks?
- Short-term: Excessive ingestion of chlorate can affect the blood's ability to absorb oxygen, leading to kidney failure (source: Efsa).
- Long-term: Repeated consumption could have an impact on thyroid function, particularly in iodine-deficient children.
What should you do if you have a recalled soda?
If you have purchased one of the affected soft drinks:
- Do not consume it.
- Return it to the store for a refund (source: Afsca).
Coca-Cola's European bottler acknowledges that this is a large-scale recall, although the exact number of products affected has not been specified. The brand assures that it will continue to withdraw the drinks concerned in collaboration with the health authorities.
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