Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia is not affected by the carbonated drink products alleged to contain high levels of chlorate, as reported in some European countries, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He stated that based on feedback from the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Food Safety and Quality Programme, there was no evidence that the product in Malaysia had been affected so far.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dzulkefly clarified that the only products detected were from Coca-Cola Europe Pacific Partners, distributed in European countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. He emphasized that this issue is not a global phenomenon and may be related to the supply chain of a specific batch or consignment.

Dzulkefly assured that the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation. As of now, there is no evidence of contamination in Malaysia or the Asian region. He reiterated this point during a press conference after officiating the Seberang Perai Utara Wellness Hub Open Day at the Sungai Dua Health Clinic.

Earlier, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urged the MOH to conduct tests and suspend the sale of Coca-Cola products in Malaysia, following their recall in Europe due to high chlorate levels. CAP noted that Coca-Cola Malaysia currently manufactures, markets, and distributes over 80 products in the country.