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Coca-Cola recalls drinks over safety concerns

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Coca-Cola has recalled its drinks in some countries across Europe because they contain “higher levels” of a chemical called chlorate.

The firm said in a statement that the recall was focused on Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It added just five product lines had been shipped to Britain, and they had already been sold.

Affected products include the Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Tropico and Minute Maid brands, according to the Belgium branch of Coca-Cola’s international bottling and distribution operation.

Chlorate can be produced when chlorine-based disinfectants are used in water treatment and food processing.

“Independent expert analysis concludes that any associated risk for consumers is very low,” a spokesperson told the BBC.

Coca-Cola said it had not received any consumer complaints in Great Britain, and that it had “alerted the authorities on this matter and will continue to collaborate with them.”

The company added the issue has affected “a very small number of imported cans” of Appletiser, Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero with production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE” which Coca-Cola said can be found on the base of the can.

Anne Gravett from the Food Standards Agency said it was investigating.

“If we identify any unsafe food, we’ll take action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers,” she added.

Exposure to high levels of chlorate can cause health problems including thyroid problems, especially among children and infants.

NHS and private nutritionist Caron Grazette told the BBC: “We need to question whether or not we want to digest chemicals in soft drinks which are used in the production of fireworks and disinfectants, however small the quantity”.

Chlorate’s effects on humans when taken in excess include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and limiting the blood’s ability to absorb oxygen, added Ms Grazette, citing recent research into the chemical.

The higher levels of chlorate were discovered during routine testing at the company’s production facility in Ghent, Belgium, according to an unnamed company spokesperson quoted by the AFP news agency.

The majority of unsold products had been withdrawn from shelves, according to AFP, and the company was in the process of withdrawing the rest.

A Coca-Cola spokesperson said it “considers the quality and safety of its products as its top priority”.

(BBC News)

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Fast-food giant KFC leaves Kentucky home for Texas

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KFC’s headquarters is being moved from its ancestral home in Kentucky to Texas as part of a wider shakeup at its parent company

KFC, the fast-food restaurant chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is moving its corporate headquarters in the US from Louisville in Kentucky to Plano in Texas, according to a statement from its parent company, Yum Brands.

About 100 corporate employees and dozens more remote workers will be required to move and will receive relocation support.

The decision by Yum Brands is part of a plan to have two headquarters for its main brands — KFC and Pizza Hut will be headquartered in Plano, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain in Irvine, California.

In recent years, many companies have relocated to Texas attracted by the state’s lower taxes and business-friendly policies.

“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” said David Gibbs, the chief executive of Yum Brands in the company’s statement.

Yum also expressed hope the plan will boost collaboration between its employees and brands.

The statement added that Yum will be maintaining it corporate offices as well as the KFC Foundation in Louisville.

The governor of the state of Kentucky, Andy Beshea, has criticised the move to relocate KFC’s headquarters, according to a statement given to the Associated Press.

“I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too,” Mr Beshear reportedly said.

“This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product.”

KFC’s history in the state dates back to the 1930s, when its founder Colonel Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken at a service station in Corbin.

Today, Sanders’ face is emblazoned on the shop fronts of more than 24,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world.

Since the pandemic, many US companies have moved their headquarters. According to a report by real estate services firm CBRE, Austin and other Texan cities have been particularly successful due to the state’s business-friendly environment.

(BBC News)

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Price of bread reduced

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Bakery owners have agreed to reduce the price of a loaf of bread by Rs. 10, according to the Ministry of Trade.

This follows a decision by two leading flour manufacturers in Sri Lanka – Serendib Flour Mills and Prima, to reduce the price of wheat flour by Rs. 10 per kilogramme.

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Bread flour prices slashed

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Leading flour manufacturers in Sri Lanka – Serendib Flour Mills and Prima, have decided to reduce bread flour prices by Rs. 10 per kilogram effective from tomorrow (Feb.18).

“During 2024, we implemented an initial reduction of Rs. 10 per kilogram in bread flour prices. While the earlier reduction did not translate to lower bread prices, both institutions have now stepped forward with an additional Rs. 10 per kilogram reduction, bringing the total reduction to Rs. 20 per kilogram,” said Mr. Kalinga Wijesekera, Director Brand and Corporate Communications, Serendib Flour Mills.

“We have informed the Minister of Trade of the latest reduction, and sincerely believe the Bakery Association will pass on the benefit of this price reduction to end consumers through reduced prices of bread and other bakery items,” he added.

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