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Swiss health authorities put pressure on Coca-Cola

The Swiss health authorities on Thursday put pressure on Coca-Cola Switzerland, saying the soft drinks producer should withdraw all cans and bottles of suspect origin in connection with the recent health scare in Belgium.

This content was published on June 17, 1999 - 09:04

The Swiss authorities on Thursday put pressure on Coca-Cola Switzerland, saying the soft drinks producer should withdraw all cans and bottles of suspect origin in connection with the recent health scare in Belgium.

The Federal Health Office called on Coca-Cola Switzerland to withdraw suspicious drinks after it was discovered that potentially contaminated cans and bottles had found their way into Swiss stores from France, where 80 people had fallen ill after consuming soft drinks on Wednesday.

Coca-Cola has pulled millions of canned and bottled drinks from selected European markets in the company’s biggest recall after it used the wrong fizz in drinks and at least 115 Belgian youngsters fell ill.

Coca-Cola said its Antwerp bottling plant had used poor carbon dioxide to carbonate drinks, while at a plant in the French port of Dunkirk a fungicide used to treat shipping pallets had ended up on cans for Belgian consumers.

The Swiss authorities on Thursday demanded that Coca-Cola tell consumers how they can spot Belgian cans.

Cantonal health authorities would also carry out spot checks to make sure that no contaminated drinks were sold in Swiss stores, the Federal Health Office said.

Coca-Cola Switzerland says it has taken adequate measures and that there is no threat to consumers' health.

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