THUMBS DOWN TO SOFT DRINKS
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Pesti-cola: Toxic level now deadlier
Published on Wed, Aug 02, 2006 at 15:22, Updated on Wed, Aug 02, 2006 at 21:59 in India section
Tags: Soft Drinks, Pesticides , New Delhi
New Delhi: New tests have found that eleven soft drink brands, which in 2003 were found to contain pesticide residues, still contain a dangerous level of toxins, said the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday.
The CSE’s report in 2003 had led to a joint Parliamentary probe into the matter, and on Wednesday the NGO claimed the soft drinks are still not clean.
At a press conference in Delhi, the NGO said it had conducted tests on 57 samples of 11 soft drink brands for pesticides.
It claimed that compared to 2003, Pepsi contained 30 times higher pesticide residue on an average and Coca-Cola contained 27 times higher residue. It alleged that it found three-five different kinds of pesticide residues in all the samples.
The 2006 study tested 57 samples of 11 soft drink brands, from 25 different manufacturing plants of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, spread over 12 states.
The study allegedly found three-five different kinds of pesticide residues in all samples—on an average 24 times higher than Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS norms), which have been finalised but not yet notified.
The levels in some samples — for instance, Coca-Cola bought in Kolkata — exceeded the BIS standards by 140 times for the deadly pesticide Lindane, said a CSE press release.
A Coca-Cola sample manufactured in Thane contained the neurotoxin Chlorpyrifos, 200 times the standard. “This is clearly unacceptable as we know that pesticides are tiny toxins and impact our bodies over time,” said CSE director Sunita Narain.
Reacting to the CSE report, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said that he is willing to meet Suneeta Narain to discuss the issue.
The current study was conducted by the same Pollution Monitoring Laboratory of CSE, which had tested samples in 2003.
Pesticide Residue In CSE Tested Samples (in parts per billion) |
Pepsi Cola: 15.2 |
| Coca-Cola: 13.4 |
| 7 Up: 12.5 |
| Duke Lemonade: 10.9 |
| Mirinda Orange: 10.7 |
| Thumbs Up: 10.9 |
| Limca: 6.7 |
| Fanta: 9.1 |
| Pepsi Caffechino: 4 |
"We have fully complied with the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) directions and are even more confident about our findings," said Chandra Bhushan, associate director at CSE.
In 2003, the average level of pesticide residues in Delhi samples was allegedly 34 times above the same BIS. This CSE has found pesticide residues as high as 52 times in bottles bought in Kolkata, and 42 times in bottles bought in Nainital and Gorakhpur.
Similarly, bottles bought in Mumbai, manufactured in Thane and Nagpur, are 34 times above the BIS standard, CSE claimed.
"(Soft drink) companies tell us that they are safe because pesticide residues are tiny and are lower in their products than what is found in other products—say, milk and juice. But this is scientific jugglery," said Narain.
"Pesticides are tiny toxins and deadly for us if we are exposed to quantities higher than what is defined as an acceptable limit. In other words, our exposure, through the food we eat and water we drink must be kept under the threshold of safety,” she said.
Soft drink companies have claimed that there can't be a final product standard and even the health ministry has not set standards.
(With inputs from CNN-IBN and Agencies)
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