While soda is tasty, we know of the potential health issues that overindulging in the sugary drink can cause over time. But even if you only sip on soda in moderation, you might want to double-check before you crack open your next can due to a more immediate risk. That's because the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warns that Diet Coke, Sprite, and Fanta Orange cases were recently recalled for possible contamination.
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Last month, the agency posted an alert that United Packers, LLC was pulling nearly 2,000 cases of popular beverages from the market. The affected products are all packaged in 12-ounce aluminum cans sold in 12-count fridge packs. All were distributed in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.
Recalled Diet Coke cans are stamped with the lot number JAN2924MBD3, UPC 49000028911, and best by date 01/29/24; Fanta Orange cans with lot number JUL2924MBD3, UPC 49000030730, and best by date 07/29/24; and Sprite cans with lot number JUL2924MBD3, UPC 49000028928, and best by date 07/29/24.
According to the FDA's alert, the company pulled the products because of "potential foreign material" contamination in cans. Affected cases have since been removed from store shelves and are no longer available for purchase, local Mobile, Alabama NBC affiliate WPMI reports. However, customers who recently purchased Diet Coke, Sprite, or Fanta Orange should check any cans in their fridges, pantries, or cabinets.
Anyone who may have purchased the recalled items should not consume them. Instead, they should return them to their place of purchase or throw them away immediately.
This isn't the only time a popular drink has been recalled this year. In July, Coca-Cola Bottling Group United issued a recall for 177 cases of its Coca-Cola Ultimate products, Food Safety News reported. The items in question were subject to a packaging issue in which the Coca-Cola Ultimate bottles were incorrectly labeled as Coca-Cola Ultimate Zero Sugar. The notice warns that the mix-up could be a serious risk for people with certain underlying health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
And in February, an alert from the FDA announced that Pepsico Inc. had recalled the Starbucks frappuccino vanilla drinks it produces for the popular coffee chain, Food Safety News reported. The move affected 25,200 cases of the product that were shipped nationwide. In this case, the beverages were pulled due to "a potential issue with foreign material" after pieces of glass were found in the bottles.
