Date:03/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/08/03/stories/2006080303150800.htm

Back Increase in pesticide residue in soft drinks: New CSE report

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Aug. 2

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday released a set of new findings on pesticide residue in soft drinks that suggest that even three years after its first report on pesticide content in soft drinks, pesticide residue in beverages produced by Coca Cola and Pepsi has actually increased instead of going down.

According to the CSE, the study was based on test results of 57 samples from 25 different manufacturing plants of Coca Cola and Pepsi, covering 12 States.

The CSE claims that all the samples had a cocktail of 3-5 different pesticides, which were on an average 24 times higher than the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) norms.

For instance, according to them, residue of Lindane, a type of pesticide, in samples from Coca-Cola bought in Kolkata exceeded BIS standards by 140 times.

The content of Chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxin, was 200 times higher than the BIS standards in a Coca Cola sample from Mumbai.

Pepsi's cola drink had the highest content of pesticide residue at almost 30 times higher than the permitted BIS standards.

"This is unacceptable, as pesticides are tiny toxins that impact the body over a period of time by suppressing the immune system of the body. Public health is being severely compromised. In fact, even the directions of the Joint Parliamentary Committee has been disregarded by these companies," said Ms Sunita Narain, Director of CSE.

"Safety is not only about high or low numbers. Companies tell us that they are safe because pesticide residues are tiny and are lower in their products than what is found in products like milk and apples. But this is scientific jugglery. Pesticides are deadly if consumed in quantities higher than what is defined as an acceptable limit. The standard in every product is set keeping in mind the nutrition-pesticide trade-off. A quota of pesticides can be allowed in nutritive food like milk or juice but not in non-nutritive products like contaminated beverages."

Reacting to the statement, Mr Abhiram Seth, Executive Director, Exports and External Affairs, PepsiCo India Ltd, said: "By allowing apples to have pesticide content much higher than the accepted amount just because it has nutritive value, do you mean that nutrition neutralises the effect of the toxins? Does it mean that the toxins present in the apple won't harm the body?" He added that Pepsi abides by all the rules set by the Government as far as quality of the product was concerned.

Despite repeated attempts, Coca Cola officials were not reachable for comment.

The CSE also alleged that the cola majors were being protected by law as all that the Health Ministry had done was to set up committees and sub-committees and ask for further research on the matter, without any results.

Ms Narain said that even though the recently passed Food Bill incorporated within itself a clear definition of "unsafe food", it was useless unless a regulation was brought in making the companies stick to standards.

"We are not asking the Government to ban the beverage companies, but just to bring in a mandatory regulation on soft drinks, so that quality is checked."