Fizzy drinks sold by Coca-Cola in Britain have been found
to contain pesticides at up to 300 times the level allowed
in tap or bottled water.
A worldwide study found pesticide levels in orange and lemon
drinks sold under the Fanta brand, which is popular with children,
were at their highest in the UK.
The research team called on the Government, the industry
and the company to act to remove the chemicals and called
for new safety standards to regulate the soft drinks market.
The industry denies children are at risk and insists that
the levels found by researchers based at the University of
Jaen in southern Spain are not harmful.
The researchers tested 102 cans and bottles of soft drinks,
bought from 15 countries, for the presence of 100 pesticides.
The UK products were bought in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh,
St Andrews and at Gatwick Airport.
