A new study into benzene levels in soft drinks sold in Belgium has
found that some still have higher levels than drinking water, and
more research is needed into several possible contributing factors.
Beverage manufacturers will continue to focus on using innovative
"natural" ingredients in their products amidst growing
concerns over the safety of their current formulations, according
to the British Soft Drinks Association...
Ingredients giant Archer Daniels Midland has criticised media
reports linking the use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
with the rise in US obesity levels, saying it is not the sole cause
of the epidemic.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo continued to dominate the soft drinks market
in 2006 accounting for more than a third of global sales in the
sector, according to market analyst Euromonitor.
As manufacturers continue to react to the consumer backlash from
new findings linking artificial additive use to child
hyperactivity, the beverage industry claims companies are
moving to reformulate products accordingly.
Research released today linking sodium benzoate to
hyperactivity in children is not yet definitive enough to remove
the preservative from products, soft drink manufacturers claim.
The reformualtion of products due to health concerns over the
preservative sodium benzoate (E211) will not
significantly affect soft drink manufacturers, an expert
claims.
Coca-Cola's German bottlers yesterday agreed to consolidate their
operations under a single company to better tap the growing
potential of its brands in the country.
The soft drinks industry has denied claims that its policy
on additive labelling is failing to alert consumers to the
possible risk of consuming its products.
Britain's third largest supermarket is to remove artificial
flavours and colours, as well as the aspartame sweetener, from its
private label soft drinks.
Cadbury Schwepps will attempt to drive down costs in its
confectionary arm by £300m (€438m) a year and enter the US sports
drink market, according to a newspaper report.
Cadbury Schweppes has said it will separate its confectionery and
US soft drinks businesses, sending ripples of speculation across
the financial sector about the firm's motives.
Product development gurus are increasingly attempting to use
consumer trends for natural ingredients and more nutritious
beverages to drive growth in the carbonated soft drinks category.
Consumer trends for health and indulgence are expected to drive
"significant" growth in premium soft drinks over the next
five years, the marketing head of Britvic has said.
Access to aseptic drinks production and promising growth in
non-carbonated soft drinks in the UK helped Cott Corporation, the
world's largest private label soft drinks supplier, to increase
sales last year.
Fruit juice drinks are flying off the shelves in the UK as more
time-starved consumers attempt to get their recommended daily dose
of fruit and vegetables, a national survey shows.
Easterly emerging markets have continued to stop the rot for
regular carbonated soft drinks as western consumers increasingly
turn to diet versions and water, a new report says.
Lawsuits alleging soft drinks made by Kraft Foods may contain the
cancer-causing chemical, benzene, have been dismissed after the
group said it had reformulated products.
Serious questions remain over how America's food safety watchdog
handled the presence of benzene residues in soft drinks, a senior
ex-official has said, after tests showed some drinks still
contained the chemical 15 years after...
Another soft drinks firm has reformulated and agreed to pay out
compensation in the US to head off a lawsuit over the potential
presence of cancer chemical benzene in its drinks, as the
controversial issue continues to bubble.
Drinking two sugary soft drinks every day could almost double the
chance of pancreatic cancer, warns a new study, landing a fresh
blow on soft drinks makers over health.
Non-carbonated drinks and a hot summer have helped Britvic to pull
back ground in the third quarter, as the group hints at further
moves into juice and water.
Soft drinks industry officials will meet this September to discuss
progress on cutting benzene residues out of their drinks, six
months after BeverageDaily.com revealed there was still a problem.
Tests in India that found soft drinks contaminated with pesticides
are 'doubtful', warns a lab affiliated to the UK government, as
PepsiCo and Coca-Cola face more bans and threats of legal action
across Indian states.
Pressure was growing on the soft drink giants early this week after
India's Supreme Court ordered them to reveal every ingredient in
their drinks, following tests that found they were contaminated
with pesticides.
Soft drinks belonging to PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in India were
contaminated with pesticides at an average 24 times higher than the
government's proposed maximum limit, warns a new environmental
group study.
Britvic has appointed consultant group Nunwood to carry out product
and concept testing into a new range of innovative soft drinks, as
the firm looks to keep up with changing consumer tastes.
Canada's health regulator has found benzene in about 20 per cent of
the soft drinks and other beverages it analyzed in a survey this
year, with four found to have exceeded the country's standard for
the cancer-causing chemical.
Manufacturers in Ireland have recalled two diet drinks from the
market, after testing by the country's food regulator found high
levels of the cancer-causing chemical in their products.
Coca-Cola and Cadbury Schweppes have joined the list of beverage
firms set to be sued in Florida over allegations their drinks
contained benzene, 15 years after the industry first pledged to fix
the problem.
Lawyers have filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo in California,
alleging one of its drinks may contain the cancer-causing chemical
benzene, BeverageDaily.com has learned.
Soft drinks firms have bowed to pressure from lawyers by pledging
to pull more fizzy drinks out of US schools, but faced continued
uncertainty last night as some legal experts involved pointed to
loopholes in the deal.
Self-regulation has become the mantra of food groups who argue that
laws are not always necessary - but can industry be trusted when it
has failed so spectacularly in the past?
More lawsuits have been filed against soft drinks firms alleging
their drinks were contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical
benzene above America's legal limit for drinking water.
The waiting is over for private label soft drinks supplier Cott
Corporation, after it received the blessing of British competition
authorities to buy its biggest UK rival, Macaw.
Cadbury Schweppes may be about to buy up its Dr Pepper/Seven Up
bottling partner in the US, says a report, indicating a growing
consolidation trend in the US soft drinks supply chain.
Quality not quantity was the catchphrase for Coca-Cola at its first
quarter results conference, as the group said it would sacrifice
volumes for higher margin beverages to lift profits.
A new test should more accurately show the amount of benzene in
soft drinks on shop shelves, but that does not mean there is no
problem, says the scientist behind the new procedure to
BeverageDaily.com.
America's Food and Drug Administration has questioned the accuracy
of its own testing for benzene in soft drinks between 1995 and
2001, but held off criticism from Congress members for refusing to
publish results from its current...
Lawyers in the US announced yesterday they were taking two soft
drinks firms to court, alleging lab tests showed drinks
contaminated with benzene above America's safety limit for tap
water.
Testing soft drinks to reflect the effects of storage and transport
conditions will be crucial to realistically monitor benzene
formation in different drinks, a former industry scientist told
BeverageDaily.com.
Soft drinks firm Britvic has announced a 7.3 per cent drop in
half-year carbonates sales as a slump in the fizzy drinks market
impacts revenue and share price.
Soft drinks makers have been hauled before the European Commission
to explain the presence of benzene traces in drinks, putting the
industry under pressure after recalls in the UK.
