Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has recalled some of its products in the Benelux region due to containing “higher levels” of the chemical chlorate.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the group said it the recall affects products sold in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
“Routine testing identified that certain products contained elevated levels of chlorate”, they said.
The recall affects the brands Appletiser, Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which carry production batch codes from 328 GE to 338 GE.
Only “a very small number of imported cans” are impacted, the spokesperson said, adding that most of the products had already been removed from sale points.
CCEP has also raised the problem with food safety authorities in Great Britain, and “remain[s] in communication with them”, the spokesperson added, noting that “no consumer complaints or concerns” had been received so far.
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By GlobalDataTina Potter, head of incidents at the UK’s Food Standards Agency said there was “limited distribution to the UK of the affected products”.
She added: “We are working with relevant authorities and the business directly to assess if there is a food safety concern for UK consumers. If we identify any unsafe food, we’ll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.”
Chlorate can be found in chlorine disinfectants used in water treatment and food processing, and is found most often in drinking water, according to food safety information published by the European Commission.
In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority discovered chlorate levels were too high in drinking water, and could cause health problems including thyroid issues which affect iodine intake in young children.
The CCEO spokesperson said: “Independent expert analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low.”
They added the business “considers the quality and safety of its products as its top priority”.
Chlorate is no longer approved as a pesticide in the EU, with maximum residue level set at 0.01 mg/kg for all food products.
In 2020, the Commission amended the maximum residue level of chlorate for different food products, aside from those intended for infants and young children, which remain at 0.01mg/kg.
Teas, coffees and herbal infusions for instance were set to a maximum of 0.05 mg/kg, while legume vegetables were set to 0.35 mg/kg.