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Journalism of Courage
Despite the Joint Parliamentary Committee saying that CSE findings on the presence of pesticides in carbonated beverages is correct and that the country needs to set up 8216;8216;stringent8217;8217; standards, Coke India and PepsiCo today reiterated their products in India were 8216;8216;safe8217;8217; and meet international quality norms.
8216;8216;Our products manufactured in India are world-class and safe. We follow one quality system across the world,8217;8217; Coke said in a statement.
8216;8216;We have always produced beverages in India that are absolutely safe and made according to the same high quality standards we use around the world,8217;8217; said Pepsi.
8216;8216;The committee is of the view that CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residues in carbonated water in respect of three samples each of 12 branded products of Pepsico and Coca-Cola analysed by them,8217;8217; said the JPC report.
The report added that CFL-CFTRI of Mysore and CFL Kolkata analysed samples of the 12 brands and both detected the presence of organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residue. However, on the quantitative aspect, the results of CSE and those of these two labs vary.
The JPC dismissed claims by Coke and Pepsi that since most of their operations are through franchise-owned bottling plants, the latter should adhere to quality norms.
8216;8216;The existence of a bottlers8217; agreement cannot absolve the producers and marketers of their responsibility towards ensuring freedom from contamination of beverages,8217;8217; it said.
The JPC also said the Health Ministry should have used provisions of law to stop soft drink companies from spreading 8216;8216;misinformation8217;8217; through their advertisements.
It pulled up the Government for lack of initiative in laying down stringent quality norms. 8216;8216;The norms about quality and standard for the potable water that is used by the soft drink manufacturers have not been prescribed.8217;8217;
The JPC also dismissed claims by cola manufacturers that there is a possibility of pesticides entering beverages through sugar.
Decrying the continuous reference to EU norms, the JPC said India should formulate its own food standards which protect the interest of Indians and are in keeping with internationally accepted norms.
