Coca-Cola has recalled its drinks in several European nations due to “higher levels” of a chemical known as chlorate.
The corporation stated that the recall was limited to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It claimed that only five product lines had been transported to Britain and were already sold.
Chlorate can be formed when chlorine-based disinfectants are employed in water treatment and food processing.
“Independent expert analysis concludes that any associated risk for consumers is very low,” a spokesperson told reporters.
Coca-Cola stated that it has not received any customer complaints in Great Britain and had “alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them.”
Coca-Cola did not identify which products were affected in the UK but stated that the five product lines were transported there around the end of last year.
Exposure to high quantities of chlorate can cause health concerns, including thyroid disorders, particularly in children and babies.
NHS and private nutritionist Caron Grazette said, “We need to question whether or not we want to digest chemicals in soft drinks that are used in the production of fireworks and disinfectants, however small the quantity.”
Excess chlorate can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea and limit blood oxygen absorption, according to recent research.
The company’s production facility in Ghent, Belgium, discovered higher levels of chlorate during routine testing, according to an unnamed company spokesperson quoted by the AFP news agency.
The majority of unsold products had been withdrawn from shelves, according to AFP, and the company was in the process of withdrawing others.
