Coca-Cola Announces Test Report That Poisoning Is Not Regarded as Product Quality

On December 5th, Coca-Cola again issued a statement saying: “This incident (Mitsui source fruit milk poisoning incident) is a local case occurred in Changchun, and we have 100% confidence that our products are completely safe and reliable.” This is Coca-Cola Company's third statement on the quality of its products since the Changchun poisoning incident on November 28th.

In this statement, Coca-Cola detailed the self-inspection process and disclosed inspection reports from the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, a third-party inspection agency.

The report mainly examined the fresh strawberry flavored 450ml beverage of its subsidiary Minute Maid Fruit Milky Fruit Milk Drink. The report states that the production units are: Coca-Cola Canners Production (Dongguan) Co., Ltd. Xiamen Branch, Coca-Cola Canners Production (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. The two samples submitted by the two manufacturers did not detect methomyl and sulphur dioxide (Mordocarb and Sulfadicarb are carbamate pesticides). However, the report did not mention the number of drinks samples taken in this test.

Based on such an official authority test report, Coca-Cola stated again: "After learning of this incident, we conducted a comprehensive self-examination of production and warehousing. At the same time, we tested the same batch of retained products and accepted the country. The authority of the food quality supervision and inspection center is inspected; the results show that all the indicators are qualified. Previously, the relevant government departments have also passed the test results of the sampled products in the Changchun market.”

"All of the above tests and inspection results show that our products are safe and meet the standards, re-confirming that this incident has nothing to do with the quality of the product itself. This incident is a local case in Changchun," said a Coca-Cola company staff member.

However, the reporter found in the reading report that the report appeared to be in conflict with its second statement in terms of time.

The monitoring report issued by the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center states that the “time to sample” for product testing is December 2, and the “time for completion of inspection” is December 5. However, the Coca-Cola Company stated clearly in the second statement issued on December 2 that the company “self-examines the same batch of retained products and tests by a third-party authority. The results show that everything is normal and all products are safe. qualified". This information does not match the detection result generation time.

In response, Wang Lei, the public affairs manager of Coca-Cola China, said in an interview with the “First Financial Daily”: “After the incident, Coca-Cola Company has found several third-party agencies to inspect two batches of Minute Maid Fruit Extracts. The third-party organization mentioned in the December 2 statement is an international organization, but today we open the inspection report of the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center that it is more authoritative and consumers are more receptive.” Consumers who are suffering from milk poisoning have dissatisfied with the Coca-Cola Company. Wang Lei also told this reporter: “We express sincere concern about the families affected by this incident and have been actively communicating with them and understanding and supporting them. Thanks. Although the incident was not related to the quality of our product itself, based on humanistic care, our company expressed its willingness to provide them with support and assistance for the first time, including payment of related medical expenses."