• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Our Bureau

UK laboratory's capacity, sensitivity to detect pesticide residues questioned

New Delhi , Aug. 14

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has called the UK-based Central Science Laboratory's (CSL) tests showing no pesticide residues in soft drinks samples of Coca-Cola as "biased and untenable".

A statement issued by the Delhi-based NGO said that CSL's samples had been provided by Coca-Cola, whereas it had based its report on samples sourced from the open market. "Would such a study, which has been sponsored and funded by Coca-Cola, be used for regulatory purposes in the UK?" the NGO quipped.

Also, getting its samples tested by a `foreign laboratory' was "patronising and borders on racism". The statement further challenged CSL's capacity or sensitivity to detect pesticide residues.

"The laboratory says that it did not find any pesticide residues. What is the laboratory's limit of detection? Laboratories can only check above their limits of detection and quantification, which specify the sensitivity of their equipment... In 2003, this same laboratory tested one bottle for Coca-Cola and gave the product a clean chit. CSE confirmed that this laboratory's limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.5 to 2.5 ppb. Therefore, it could only detect and quantify pesticide levels in soft drinks if these levels were 5-25 times higher than the EU limit. In other words, it could not detect pesticides because its equipment did not have the sensitivity to find them," it added.

Final product testing

The CSE release also refuted the claims of the two cola majors that a final product testing method was unavailable saying, "It is clear that Indian laboratories have the equipment and capacity to test this `complex' - sugar and water - product.

CSE has used the methodology laid down by the USEPA and used by governments across the world, which is for testing liquid matrix - any complex multi-ingredient product, which has water and other substances. All laboratories are trained to distinguish between molecules of pesticides against the interferences of the product."

Meanwhile, in a reaction to PepsiCo's press briefing here, Ms Sunita Natrain, Director, CSE, said, "If they have agreed to final product testing methods, it is a step in the right direction."

She added, "The ball clearly is in the Government's court. The question now is, will the Government cave in to threats by the US Government to delay and prevaricate on this matter, which concerns our health? Or will it do what is right: notify the BIS standards immediately?"

More Stories on : Beverages | Standards & Benchmarks | Pesticides | Health

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Central India share keeps rain deficit at bay

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line