Coke, Pepsi contain cocktail of pesticide residues, claims CSE
Our
Corporate Bureau
06 August 2003
New
Delhi: The Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment
(CSE) has revealed in a study that a "cocktail of
pesticide residues" are contained in the soft drink
brands belonging to Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Though these two companies operate within the food laws prevalent in India, CSE alleges that they exercised "double standards" in terms of selling "dirty cola" in India, while their products in the US, for instance, contain no pesticides.
CSE
says its study found that 12 major brands sold in the
capital, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Mirinda,
Diet Pepsi and Limca, contained pesticide residues. "The
tests were done in our labs, based on international methodology
and the study was funded by CSE," says CSE director
Sunita Narain.
Only six months ago, the same organisation had opened a can of worms on pesticide residue in bottled water and the exercise had ended with the Indian health ministry notifying new norms for pesticides in packaged drinking water.