Coca-Cola has issued an urgent recall of several beverage brands across Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands due to elevated levels of chlorate, a chemical that can impact thyroid function.
Routine testing revealed traces of the chemical above permitted levels in products including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Tropico, and Fuze Tea. The recall affects both cans and bottles, including light and zero-sugar versions.
Chlorate is a by-product of chlorine-based sanitization and is regulated due to its potential interference with iodine absorption. Despite the contamination, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners stated that the health risk is minimal, and most affected products have already been pulled from shelves.
This is not the first recall by Coca-Cola—Appletiser was removed from South African stores in 2021 due to excessive patulin levels. Consumers can check the base of cans for production codes between 328 GE and 338 GE to identify affected products.