Major product recall at Belgian Coca-Cola factory

Coca-Cola is carrying out a major recall of several drinks brands that were produced in Ghent and sold throughout Belgium.

The products have been recalled because they contain too much chlorate, specifically in cans and returnable glass bottles of the following brands: Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico.

All versions of these products, including "zero" and "light" version, are affected. Compromised products carry a production code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE (inclusive). Products in plastic bottles, drink fountains or tetra packs are not affected by the recall.

The affected batches contain chlorate in excess of the threshold defined by EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority.

Known as the "acute reference dose", this threshold is an estimate of the quantity of a substance present in food or drinking water that a person can ingest in 24 hours without significant health effects. For chlorate, this is 36 µg/kg body weight per day.

“A high intake of chlorate over a single day could be toxic to humans, as it can limit the blood's ability to absorb oxygen, leading to kidney failure,” EFSA said.

Several million products are affected, according to Belgium’s federal agency for the safety of the food chain.

These were produced in the plant in Ghent and sold in various outlets in Belgium, including shops, vending machines and in cafes and restaurants, as well as in Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

Chlorate is a by-product of chlorine disinfectants, which are widely used in water treatment processes, according to Coca-Cola.

It added: “Low levels of chlorate are found in everyday drinks, in drinking water, and on foods such as fruit and vegetables and dairy products.”

The breach of the standards was observed by the company itself during routine checks.

“The analysis carried out by independent experts has concluded that the risk to consumers is very low,” says Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium.

“Nevertheless, these products do not meet our high quality and safety standards. We are therefore taking our responsibilities seriously.

"The majority of affected and unsold products have already been removed from shop shelves and we are continuing to take steps to remove all remaining products from the market in contact with the relevant authorities in each of the markets concerned."

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium is asking consumers not to consume the affected products and to return them to the point of sale for a refund.