What is chlorate? Coca-Cola recalls drinks over high chemical levels in Europe
What is chlorate? Coca-Cola recalls drinks over high chemical levels in Europe
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Coca-Cola has recalled some of its drinks in the UK and other European countries after finding “higher levels” of the chemical chlorate in some lines. As well as the UK most recently, the countries affected since November include Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Affected batches were reportedly delivered in France but the recall order did not include the country.
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Five product lines in the UK were affected: Coke, Fanta, Minute Maid, Sprite and Tropico, all of which are produced and bottled by Coca-Cola. No official customer complaints have been reported in the UK, but the company has confirmed that authorities have been contacted and Coca-Cola is cooperating with them.
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“We do not have a precise figure, but it is clear that it is a considerable quantity [of products affected],” the company added. The AFP news agency reported that elevated chlorate levels were detected during routine quality tests at Coca-Cola’s production facility in Ghent, north-west Belgium.
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Coca-Cola added that it “considers the quality and safety of its products as its top priority”. Here’s a closer look at chlorate and why it led to the recall. Chlorate is a chemical compound often present in food and water due to its use in water treatment and food processing. It is a by-product of chlorine, widely recognised for its use in swimming pools and as a disinfectant.
