Independent tests confirm findings: CSE

The Centre for Science and Environment, which revealed in a recent report that major soft drinks brands of Pepsi and Coca-Cola contained pesticides way higher than the permissible limits on Sunday said it had got confirmatory tests conducted in independent laboratories as well, the results of which it had already made available to the government.

Rebutting the arguments the cola companies have made in the past few days, CSE said that it had used similar methodology to test bottled water six months ago, following similar procedures, and the results were proven correct by government testing.

"The gas chromotograhic technique used by the CSE laboratory is a sophisticated methodology that gives accurate results," it added.

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After the release of the CSE report, soft drinks sales have dropped by over 40 per cent. The two cola majors Pepsi and Coca-Cola have rubbished the report and also questioned the methodologies used by the CSE test.

The government too is getting tests conducted by certified laboratories in the country.

The CSE said that since the cola companies "were not able to convince, they were out to confuse through misinformation."

"A key criticism of the cola companies has been that the results were not confirmed using a mass spectrophotometer (a detector used with gas chromatograph). As a matter of fact, they were."

"This confirmatory test was carried out in an independent laboratory, which is why the results were not included in the CSE study," it said in the statement.

The statement said that the results of the independent lab will be made available to the government committee looking into the matter soon, the CSE spokesperson said the reports have already submitted to an expert committee of the ministry of health dealing with food adulteration matters. He, however, declined to reveal the name of the laboratory.

The CSE added: "The companies have gone on record saying the method (UEPA 8141A) used by CSE is for water, not for soft drinks. In fact, the method is to test organophosphorus compounds by gas chromatography capillary column technique. It can be used to test for organophosphorus compounds in solids and liquids. The companies fault the column used. Yet, the USEPA methodology clearly lists capillary columns of 0.25 mm, DB 5 (used by CSE) and suitable apparatus."

Moreover, the USEPA test methodology equipment operating parameters are indicative, not rigid, it said.

The CSE also alleged that one of the companies had cited 'old' WHO guidelines to challenge the CSE definition for what can be considered 'safe' intake of pesticides (defined as the accepted daily intake or ADI).