Coke Zero, dangerous? Venezuela says yes

Posted Jun 11th 2009 12:00PM by Beth Gaston Moon
Filed under: Consumer Experience, Coca-Cola (KO), Venezuela

It's bad enough that Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) killed its C2 brand a few years ago -- I still have one memorial (empty) can I keep in my china cabinet for posterity. Now Coke Zero, the soft-drink behemoth's alternative for those of us that don't quite dig the Diet Coke taste, poses a "danger to health" in South America? What the what?

Yesterday, the Venezuelan government ordered Coca-Cola to pull the Coke Zero brand from the country's shelves, claiming unspecified health risks. The nation's health minister simply said that the zero-calorie fizzy drink "should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans."

Is it the artificial sweetener causing the issue, or perhaps sour grapes? Coca-Cola's local bottler, Femsa, has been dealing with labor problems in the country. Last year, former workers reportedly blocked the plants, demanding back pay.

Coca-Cola says things remain copacetic, issuing a statement that "Coca Cola Zero is made under the highest quality standards around the world and meets the sanitary requirements demanded by the laws of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."

Beth works for The Options News Network (www.ONN.tv), which provides daily stock and options commentary. The above comments are not intended as trading advice.

Tags: artificial sweetener, Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Femsa, inthenews, KO, Venezuela

Print this

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-11-2009 @ 2:20PM

Marc Peot said...

Beth,

I think you need to either stick to your area of expertise or exercise better due diligence -- like actually reading up on all the studies, for example, linking aspartame to serious health problems.

Here's a little 'taste' for you -- pun intended...

http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-7-23/57897.html

www.mpwhi.com/formaldehyde_from_aspartame.pdf

Any chance you saw recent reports of pesticides in Coke, in Mexico, India and the UK?

http://www.google.com/search?
hl=en&q=pesticides+in+coke&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

How about the fact that the corn syrup used in Coke has mercury in it?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1425966/high_fructose_corn_syrup_contains_mercury.html

Lastly, here is the fascinating history of Aspartame -- don't mind the hyperbole. It's got 98 footnotes. AC is brutally thorough, I must say.

http://aconstantineblacklist.blogspot.com/2008/10/swirl-swastika-nutrasweet-nutrapoison.html

Those Venezuelans -- tisk, tisk, tisk.....

What? They actually value people over $$$$ for the top half of one percent???

Don't they realize that Capitalism is the greatest force for good for Humanity? Ever?

I mean, those humans in the top 1/2 of one percent, of course.

Blessings and Good Luck,

Marc

6-11-2009 @ 4:01PM

Mike O said...

Aspartame gives me headaches. I can't drink more than 10oz before feeling the effects.

Sucralose (aka Spenda) isn't much better. Chemically, it has more in common with pesticides than sugar.

Stevia (marketed as Truvia) is the only remotely safe and truly natual artificial sweetener.