Massive reminder of Coca-Cola drinks: Is chlorate dangerous for health?

The recall relates to “a considerable quantity” of drinks on a European scale. Glass cans and bottles recorded with Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze TEA, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico were recalled this Monday in several European countries, for an overly high content in chlorate. In France, two lots have been removed from warehouses from Coca-Cola group customers.

But what are chlorate? When they are found in food or drink products, this compound generally comes from chlorine disinfectants used in water treatment and food processing. “I think they used chlorinated water to make their drinks, and chlorates were formed as a result of this. As they are fairly powerful oxidants, it is better not to take risks, ”says Xavier Coumoul, professor of toxicology at Paris-Cité University.

Risks… theoretical

“Chloration is undoubtedly one of the largest advances in public health,” recalls Doctor Philippe Beaulieu, Health Quality Manager at the Water Information Center. In the production of drinking water, it is used to protect microbiological pollution, for which, in France and in Europe, there is zero tolerance. In addition, around sixty products are the subject of standards, this is the case for chlorates. »»

In drinking water in France, “the quality limit”, that is to say the threshold not to be exceeded is 0.70 mg/l, “a regulation which takes into account important safety margins And consider the most fragile populations, ”reassures Doctor Philippe Beaulieu.

“The precautionary principle is a good thing”

Beyond that, there are two types of risks. “In the long term, out of a very particular population, children and infants deficient in iodine, this can cause growth anomalies or thyroid diseases. There is also a acute risk if, really, the level of chlorrates ingested in 48 hours is very important, this can limit the capacity of the blood to absorb oxygen, and cause kidney problems. It remains to be seen how much chlorate there was in these bottles? Asks Frédéric Guaidou, President of the Association Toxicologie Chemie (ATC).

Coca-Cola indicates that he has discovered that drinks produced in Belgium “presented chlorate levels that do not meet quality standards”. “The analysis of independent experts concluded that the probability of an associated risk is very low,” assures us the group.

In any case, these oxidation products of chlorine do not stand in the human body. The chlorate “turns into chloride and joins the flow of salt waters”, popularizes Frédéric Guaidou. Xavier COUMOUL, for his part, underlines that “there are big consumers of coca, so the precautionary principle is a good thing, even if chlorate is not at all known to cause food poisoning. »»