Coca-Cola under investigation by UK officials after urgent recalls

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced it is investigating Coca-Cola, following urgent recalls elsewhere in Europe.

The soft drink giant confirmed its products had been ‘withdrawn from sale’ in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

Now, officials are looking into whether the UK may need to follow suit, with the FSA saying it is investigating beverages on the market.

However, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners – the company’s bottling partner - said it has so far received ‘no consumer complaints or concerns in Great Britain’.

It comes after Coke-owned drinks were recalled in were recalled in several European countries after testing identified ‘elevated levels’ of chlorate, a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals – often used to sterilise water.

Drinks have already been recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands (Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

According to the FSA, chlorate can cause iodine deficiency in people, and is regulated with legal maximum residue limits for various foods, including fresh produce.

In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority found that levels of chlorate in drinking water and foods were too high, and could lead to serious health effects - especially with infants and children - including impaired functioning of the thyroid due to inhibition of iodine uptake.

The FSA’s Anne Gravett commented: “The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating if any Coca-Cola products containing ‘higher levels’ of a chemical called chlorate are on the UK market.

“If we identify any unsafe food, we’ll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.”

Coca-Cola said that among the products recalled were a 'small number' of cans of Appletiser, Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, and Sprite Zero with production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE.

The Food Standards Agency is investigating whether the UK needs to follow suit (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In a statement, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said: “The recall is focused on Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, where the majority of affected products have been withdrawn from sale.

“Routine testing identified that certain products contained elevated levels of chlorate.

“Independent expert analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low.

“This has affected a very small number of imported cans of Appletiser, Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero with production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE, which can be found on the base of the can.

“We have flagged this issue to the food safety authorities in Great Britain and we remain in communication with them.

“We have had no consumer complaints or concerns in Great Britain.”