Two U.S. soft drink companies agree to settlement over benzene content: Knowledge Driven Revolution

Makers of two children's drinks have eliminated ingredients in their products that can form cancer-causing benzene, as part of a settlement of U.S. lawsuits filed by parents.

Parents sued Atlanta-based In Zone Brands Inc., maker of BellyWashers, and Preston, Wash.-based TalkingRain Beverage Co., over drinks containing benzene, which has been linked to leukemia.

Both sides agreed to settle the dispute in documents filed in District of Columbia Superior Court. A hearing was set Friday for a judge to consider the settlement.

As part of the settlement, the companies agreed to pay $35,000 each, with most of the money going toward legal costs.

BellyWashers are juice drinks that come in reusable bottles featuring Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, Scooby Doo and other well-known characters.

The drink makers denied that their products caused any harm. But after the suit was filed they agreed in April and May to change their ingredients. They also agreed to refund or replace drinks made before the switch in ingredients.

Similar suits against other drink companies are pending in Kansas, Massachusetts, Florida, California and New Jersey.

Boston lawyer Andrew Rainer, who represents the parents, said the suit should prod bigger companies to change their ingredients.

"I think if they understand that consumers, and perhaps courts, expect them to eliminate this problem, they will," Rainer said.

The companies did not return telephone calls Thursday from The Associated Press.

Benzene can form in soft drinks containing vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. Scientists say factors such as heat or light exposure can trigger a reaction that forms benzene in the beverages.

According to the suits, independent laboratory tests found benzene in the kids' drinks at levels above the federal limit for benzene in drinking water.

The Food and Drug Administration found similar results on unidentified brands in sampling from 1995 through 2001 and said it would do more tests.

FDA officials say there is no safety concern and that levels are still relatively low compared with other sources of exposure to benzene.

The soft drink industry agrees and says the amount of soft drinks people consume is much less than the amount of tap water they are exposed to.

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HOME V for Vendetta - R for Reality Canadian Bird Flu Pandemic Looming ? Shill of the Week: Stephan Harper Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Creating Fake Terrorists Shill of the Week: Paul Martin The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave	Two U.S. soft drink companies agree to settlement over benzene content LIBQUAID - CP August 28, 2006 Makers of two children's drinks have eliminated ingredients in their products that can form cancer-causing benzene, as part of a settlement of U.S. lawsuits filed by parents. Parents sued Atlanta-based In Zone Brands Inc., maker of BellyWashers, and Preston, Wash.-based TalkingRain Beverage Co., over drinks containing benzene, which has been linked to leukemia. Both sides agreed to settle the dispute in documents filed in District of Columbia Superior Court. A hearing was set Friday for a judge to consider the settlement. As part of the settlement, the companies agreed to pay $35,000 each, with most of the money going toward legal costs. BellyWashers are juice drinks that come in reusable bottles featuring Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, Scooby Doo and other well-known characters. The drink makers denied that their products caused any harm. But after the suit was filed they agreed in April and May to change their ingredients. They also agreed to refund or replace drinks made before the switch in ingredients. Similar suits against other drink companies are pending in Kansas, Massachusetts, Florida, California and New Jersey. Boston lawyer Andrew Rainer, who represents the parents, said the suit should prod bigger companies to change their ingredients. "I think if they understand that consumers, and perhaps courts, expect them to eliminate this problem, they will," Rainer said. The companies did not return telephone calls Thursday from The Associated Press. Benzene can form in soft drinks containing vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. Scientists say factors such as heat or light exposure can trigger a reaction that forms benzene in the beverages. According to the suits, independent laboratory tests found benzene in the kids' drinks at levels above the federal limit for benzene in drinking water. The Food and Drug Administration found similar results on unidentified brands in sampling from 1995 through 2001 and said it would do more tests. FDA officials say there is no safety concern and that levels are still relatively low compared with other sources of exposure to benzene. The soft drink industry agrees and says the amount of soft drinks people consume is much less than the amount of tap water they are exposed to. Read the full article here Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Features Archive
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