Tough Times Ahead for Cola Companies

As expected the cola companies are out to give clarifications on the whole cola pesticide issue. But things don’t seen to be that simple for them as the Union Health Ministry has announced the set up of a National Level four member expert committee which will fix the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides in colas and juices.

In his statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday, the Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss announced the setting up of the committee headed by Dr. N. K. Ganguly, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research. Other members in the committee are Dr. S. K. Khanna (formerly with the Indian Industrial Toxicology Research Centre), Dr. N. P. Agnihotri (formerly with Indian Agricultural Research Institute) and Dr. G. Thyagrajan (Former Director, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology).

The expert committee has been entrusted the task of guiding the pesticide Residue-Sub Committee on fixing of MRLs and ensuring conformity with the internationally accepted Codex Working Principles. The committee will also set guidelines on pesticide monitoring in other foodstuffs.

Showing concern over the consumers’ health a comprehensive multi centre study on the carbonated drinks will be conducted using the LC-MS-MS technique. The sophistication of the technique allows it to check even for the slightest traces of pesticides. The tests are scheduled to be carried out by the Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya, The National Institute of Occupational Health and The National Institute of Nutrition.

To prevent further erosion of goodwill, the cola companies are holding press conferences and advertising in the dailies. They claim that they do not add pesticides in the drinks it’s only that the pesticides used in the crop manufacturing enter the ground water and thus they become a part of the food chain. They also claim to comply with the stringent international norms and all other applicable national regulations.

Studies showing the presence of pesticides in milk, fruits, tea, eggs, rice and apples that too several thousand times the prescribed limits is sure to heat up the controversy further.