More Indian states ban colas over pesticide row

[IronLionZion]

BANGALORE, India (Reuters) - Two southern Indian states banned the sale of soft drinks produced by Coca-Cola and Pepsi on Wednesday after an environmental group said it had found pesticides in the global giants' products.

While the coastal state of Kerala announced a blanket ban on the production and distribution of the two soft drinks, its neighbor Karnataka banned them from schools, colleges and hospitals, officials said.

Three states previously imposed bans similar to the one in Karnataka after the Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment (CSE) said it had found an average pesticide residue of 11.85 parts per billion in 57 samples of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo drinks produced in 12 Indian states.

Those pesticide levels are 24 times higher than limits agreed, but not yet enforced, by the Bureau of Indian Standards.


http://tinyurl.com/zdvs3

[NVMojo]

1. I posted this story last week and hardly anyone noticed.This is a big deal

and makes one wonder about what would happen if the lethargic American public became similarly outraged about these products.

[IronLionZion]

2. I visited South India last month

fortunately I didn't drink the cola. Indian cola is usually much better than ours because they use cane sugar and natural ingredients. Pesticides in food products is a very big deal.

[flamingyouth]

3. kick

[CHIMO]

4. Indian state bans Pepsi and Coke

India's southern state of Kerala has banned the Indian subsidiaries of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo from manufacturing and selling soft drinks.


Several Indian states have already banned the sale of Coke and Pepsi at schools and colleges after scientists found they were contaminated by pesticides.

Kerala is the first Indian state to ban producing or selling the drinks; its neighbour Karnataka has banned them from schools, colleges and hospitals.

"There are lots of reports which prove that these drinks have certain ingredients that are harmful to the human body," said VS Achuthanandan, Kerala's chief minister, after a cabinet meeting approved the ban.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/22ADE480-67A1-4502-B8D8-7137268674ED.htm

[KamaAina]

5. It is a southern state! I knew it!

From now on, only RC Cola will be permitted... and Moon Pies, of course. :-)

[LostinVA]

6. And Nabs. And nan bread with sausage gravy.

edited: because I so can't spell this evening...

[IronLionZion]

12. But you still have to call it "coke"!

[Canuckistanian]

7. Nice response from PepsiCo

Basically they promised to do nothing and just dismissed the complaints by saying "we're following Indian government regulations".

They deserve to be thrown out on their ass.

[Richard Steele]

8. Just one of the many horrific crimes perpetrated by Coke in India.

And I didn't add Pepsi to that statement ONLY because
I haven't read as much about them; so I can only honestly say
this is ONE horrific crime perpetrated by Pepsi.

There are no Coke Products in our house; looks like Pepsi
may soon be banned up in here as well.

[Stargazer99]

9. At least Indian has some smarts

Joe Six Pac just sits there and takes it in the shorts from this administration and their cronies.

[Earth_First]

10. After what Coca-Cola Company has done to water tabels in India...

I'm surprised they have not been thrown out on their asses long ago.

[IronLionZion]

11. Oh but they were

Coke, Pepsi, and many other foreign companies got thrown out in the 70's during a period of protectionism and socialism but were let back in during the 90's when they re-opened the markets.

[Up2Late]

13. When I first saw the BBC Headline, I thought it said Indiana bans Pepsi...

...and Coke! :blush: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4776623.stm>