Coca-Cola UK recall: FULL LIST of fizzy drinks urgently being pulled from shelves due to fears chlorate contamination could cause deformity and organ failure
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Coca-Cola has urgently recalled 'a small number' of its own fizzy drinks over fears of chemical contamination.
Food safety watchdogs stuck a 'do not drink' alert on six separate batches of sodas including Appletiser, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero.
It is feared the drinks may contain 'elevated levels' of the chemical chlorate.
The move has come just days after several of the manufacturer's drinks, like Fuze Tea, Fanta and Coca-Cola were recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg as well as the Netherlands.
Chlorate is a chemical compound often present in food and water due to its use in water treatment and food processing.
It is a by-product of chlorine, widely recognised for its use in swimming pools and as a disinfectant.
While small amounts are typically harmless, research has long suggested that high levels of exposure can pose a serious health risks — particularly to vulnerable groups such as the elderly — including thyroid dysfunction and even kidney failure.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which published the alert, issues recalls when problems are spotted with food or drinks that mean they should not be sold.
Food safety watchdogs stuck a 'do not drink' alert on six separate batches of sodas including Appletiser, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero
While small amounts of chlorate are typically harmless, research has long suggested that high levels of exposure can pose a serious health risks including thyroid dysfunction and even kidney failure. Pictured, thyroid gland inflammation (stock image)
The recall only affects a 'small amount' of tall, imported cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which were only sent to cafes and restaurants during a limited time period, the FSA said.
It also includes a 'small number' of imported cans of 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks which were sent only to supermarkets in the UK.
The affected Appletiser products have the batch codes 000890580 and 0008908477 and best before dates on November 30, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
The affected Coca-Cola cans have a batch code of 0008912462 and best before date of November 30, 2025.
Impacted Diet Coke cans, meanwhile, have the batch code 0008913820 and best before date of May 31, 2025.
Affected Coca-Cola Zero and Sprite Zero products have the batch codes 0008913954 and 0008913247 and best before dates of May 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025 respectively.
All impacted cans also have production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE, which can be found on the base of the can.
'If you have any of these cans, please do not drink them,' the FSA said.
A spokesperson for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, added: 'Whilst independent analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low, for the reassurance of consumers, we encourage anyone with an affected can to please call our customer service team on 0800 227711 who will be able to help.
'No other Coca-Cola products are affected by the issue.
'The quality and safety of our products is our top priority and we’re sorry that on this occasion, a small number of our products have not met our high standards, and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.'
The UK recall comes after Coca-Cola products were pulled from the shelves in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands on Monday.
The higher levels of chlorate were discovered during routine testing at the company's production facility in Ghent, Belgium, according to an unnamed company spokesperson quoted by the AFP news agency.
Bosses were unsure of the exact number of drinks affected, however, they added that the 'majority affected and unsold products' had been removed.
Coca-Cola said at the time just five product lines had been shipped to Britain, and they had already been sold. It added it had 'alerted the authorities'.
Exposure to high levels of chlorate can cause health problems including thyroid problems, especially among children and infants.
The recall only affects a 'small amount' of tall, imported cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which were only sent to cafes and restaurants during a limited time period, the FSA said
The move has come just days after several of the manufacturer's drinks were recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg as well as the Netherlands. Pictured, recalled Appletiser drinks
In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority said that long-term exposure to chlorate could be a 'potential health concern for children'.
The same report also found that chronic exposure over time can inhibit iodine uptake.
An iodine deficiency may impair the function of the thyroid — which regulates many of the body's function, including metabolism.
'A high intake of chlorate on a single day could be toxic for humans as it can limit the blood’s ability to absorb oxygen, leading to kidney failure,' it added.
This is because very high doses can cause methemoglobinaemia — a rare blood disorder that occurs when there's too much methemoglobin in the blood, preventing red blood cells from delivering enough oxygen.
A 2021 report by the Dutch food and consumer product safety authority also concluded that prolonged chlorate exposure 'will have an impact on the thyroid gland due to competitive inhibition of iodine uptake' causing long term issues.
However, they also noted that the 'disruption of the balance of thyroid hormones have been observed in rats and mice. There are no studies available on these effects in humans'.
