NEW DELHI -- Lead and other heavy metals like Cadmium and Chromium have been found in the samples of five different soft drinks manufactured by two major multinational companies in India, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
"Samples of five different cold drinks — Sprite, Mountain Dew, 7UP, Pepsi and Coca Cola — were selected by the stratified sampling method and the samples were submitted to National Test House (in Kolkata) for testing," Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said in a written reply.
Apart from lead, other heavy metals like Cadmium and Chromium were also found in the samples (due to leaching of toxins from the bottles in which they were packaged), he said replying to a question on whether the government commissioned study by the Drug Technical Advisory Board had found five different toxins in aerated drinks produced by two major multinational companies in India.
Giving details of the study conducted by Kolkata-based All India Institute of Hygine and Public Health (AIIH&PH), Kulaste said that the AIIH&PH had entered into a pact with the National Test House (NTH) for testing and estimation.
According to reports, in April last year, the Health Ministry is learnt to have directed the AIIH&PH to conduct a study on leaching of toxins from PET bottles, used for packaging pharmaceutical preparations, cold drinks, alcohol, juices and other beverages.
What The Supermoon Looked Like From India
(01 of12)
Open Image ModalIndia's national emblem is seen in front of the supermoon in New Delhi. (credit:Adnan Abidi / Reuters)
(02 of12)
Open Image ModalA cross atop a church is silhouetted against the supermoon in Mumbai. (credit:Danish Siddiqui / Reuters)
(03 of12)
Open Image ModalA supermoon rises as the colourful lights flicker in the foreground at a Gurudwara, a Sikh temple, in Chandigarh. (credit:Ajay Verma / Reuters)
(04 of12)
Open Image ModalA rising moon is pictured as colourful lights flicker in the foreground outside the Victoria Memorial monument in Kolkata. (credit:Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters)
(05 of12)
Open Image ModalA view of the supermoon from Uttarakhand. (credit:Imgur)
(06 of12)
Open Image ModalThe supermoon as viewed from Chennai. (credit:Reddit India)
(07 of12)
Open Image ModalA 'supermoon' rises behind a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Marina Beach in Chennai. (credit:ARUN SANKAR via Getty Images)
(08 of12)
Open Image ModalThe Super Moon rising in the sky atop of eastern Indian city Bhubaneswar. (credit:NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(09 of12)
Open Image ModalThe 'supermoon' rises over the Sikh Shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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Open Image ModalTree leaves are silhouetted as the 'supermoon' rises in Srinagar. (credit:TAUSEEF MUSTAFA via Getty Images)
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Open Image ModalThe "supermoon" appears over the landmark Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Open Image ModalA trident atop the Kamakhya Hindu temple is silhoutted against the rising moon in Gauhati. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)