China has banned the import of several food products citing poison and bugs as contaminants. The list includes Coca-Cola’s berry-flavored Fanta soda, which apparently contains levels of benzoic acid dangerous to the liver and kidneys (so I guess stick with the bright orange stuff if you want to be kind to your kidneys). Also listed are two varieties of Proctor & Gamble’s Pringles, banned for carcinogens, and one Nestle’s coffee flavor found to be infested with beetles. All in all, China’s quality control found 593 products unfit for consumption.
These bans follow last year’s recalls of Chinese-produced toxic toothpaste and lead paint-coated toys, as well as the FDA’s ban on Chinese seafood contaminated with traces of illegal veterinary drugs.
—Caroline Winter
