Thai FDA assures public on Coca-Cola recall safety

Puntid Tantivangphaisal3 hours agoLast Updated: Wednesday, February 5, 2025

99 1 minute read

Thai FDA assures public on Coca-Cola recall safety

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clarified concerns regarding Coca-Cola’s recall of soft drinks in Europe due to excessive chlorate levels. The FDA assured that the affected batches from Belgium have not been imported into Thailand, with most imported soft drinks originating from ASEAN countries like Laos and Singapore, which are not involved in the recall.

Deputy Secretary-General of the FDA, Lertchai Lertwut, explained that chlorate contamination in food and beverages arises from using water treated with chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or hypochlorite for disinfection.

Advertisements

Prior to the recent recall news, the FDA had been proactive in pushing for legislation to regulate chlorate levels in drinking water and water used in food and drink production, including soft drinks, to not exceed 0.7 mg/L, following World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

The draft legislation is currently open for public consultation to ensure food and beverage standards in Thailand align with international safety norms.

The FDA also reassures the public of its stringent monitoring and safety checks on food and beverage products in Thailand, emphasising that products sold in the country are subject to rigorous safety standards and random inspections to ensure compliance, reported KhaoSod.

Thai FDA assures public on Coca-Cola recall safety | News by Thaiger — Photo courtesy of The Nation

In similar news, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin pledged to promote kratom-based products to support farmers’ incomes while ensuring compliance with safety standards.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently raised the daily consumption limit of mitragynine, the main alkaloid in kratom, from 1 milligramme to 3 milligrammes, marking a significant step in the expansion of kratom-infused products.

Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.