Coca-Cola Sued over Benzene as Other Beverage Makers Settle Similar Lawsuits
By Amy Teeple
Published on August 25, 2006
In the settled lawsuits, Atlanta-based In Zone Brands Inc. and Preston, Washington-based TalkingRain Beverage Co. agreed to change the ingredients of their beverages and to offer refunds to consumers who purchased their drinks.
The plaintiffs in the Coca-Cola case hope for similar results from the soft drink giant.
Benzene, which is linked to leukemia, can form in soft drinks that contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. Scientists believe that heat and light may trigger a chemical reaction that causes benzene to form in the drinks.
Lawsuits over the use of benzene in beverages are pending in Kansas, Massachusetts, Florida, California, and New Jersey. In addition to Coca-Cola products, these cases target beverages made by PepsiCo and Kraft (makers of Crystal Light).
According to the lawsuits, both settled and pending, independent laboratory tests found the beverages to have levels of benzene that were higher than the federal limit for benzene in drinking water.
The Food and Drug Administration found similar results in unidentified brands from 1995 through 2001. The FDA said it would conduct more tests, but that consumers should not be overly concerned since benzene levels in soft drinks are relatively low compared with other benzene exposure sources.
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