A Coca-Cola plant in northern China was temporarily closed, following reports that chlorine was found in the drink, according to local authorities, writes AFP. The Bureau of Products Quality Inspection in Shanxi Province (North) has ordered an investigation. A “facility inspection, product tesing, an examination of evidence and interviews with staff, and other methods have confirmed the veracity of the information in the press”, according to the government administration office.
A spokesman for Coca-Cola said yesterday that the temporary closure of the plant was not done because the lack of food security or the level of chlorine in water, but because of other issues raised by the inspection. “Chlorine levels were well below the World Health Organization standards (WHO), in the United States, European Union (EU) and China for drinking water,” said the spokesman. Chlorine is used to destroy bacteria in drinking water treatment, but too high of a concentration can be dangerous to health.
The issues, with a nature that was not revealed,” have not affected at any time the security of our products marketed in China,” according to a Coca-Cola statement. An assistant at Coca-Cola Shanxi Beverages Co. confirmed on Monday that the factory has stopped production. According to New China news agency, small amounts of chlorine were found in the water used for carbonated drink production in February, in the course of maintenance work performed at the factory.
An anonymous informer alerted the local press of product contamination on nine batches. Food scandals are common in China, where public opinion is more and more sensitive to this issue.
Sales of Coca-Cola in China, which last year accounted for 7% of group’s sales worldwide, grow, and the company plans to invest four billion dollars in this country, during 2012-2014.
Coca-Cola has already opened over 40 bottling plants in China, where it is working in partnership with the Chinese giant food Cofco and Honk Kong conglomerate, Swire Pacific.
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