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The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to the Coca-Cola Company disagreeing with the product's nutrient claim, which does not meet agency's criteria for vitamins and minerals. The FDA said the term "plus" is supposed to be used only to describe nutrient labeling, and the agency said it doesn't consider it appropriate to fortify carbonated beverages with nutrients.
Coca-Cola claims that its Diet Coke Plus include a variety of vitamins and minerals. Moreover the label also describes the soda as "Diet Coke with vitamins and minerals," according to a warning letter the Food and Drug Administration sent December 10 to the Atlanta beverage company. The letter was posted on the FDA's Web site Tuesday.
Coca-Cola has marketed Diet Coke Plus as "a good source of vitamins B3, B6, and B12, and the minerals zinc and magnesium." It was launched in the U.S. in April 2007.
Coca-Cola has 15 days to respond to the agency and detail efforts to correct the mislabeling. Coca-Cola should “take prompt action to correct these violations,” according to the letter posted today on the FDA’s Web site. The company disagreed with the finding and said the agency’s complaint doesn’t involve health or safety issues.
Coca-Cola “believes the label on Diet Coke Plus complies with FDA policies and regulations,” Scott Williamson, a spokesman for the company’s North American unit, said today in an e-mail. The company plans a detailed reply to the agency in early January, he added.
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