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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JBL who wrote (12165)	6/16/1999 9:34:00 AM
From: GUSTAVE JAEGER	Respond to of 17770

Anyway, here's the official press release from Coca-Cola: STATEMENT OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY REGARDING QUALITY ISSUES IN BELGIUM ATLANTA, June 15, 1999 - The Coca-Cola Company has determined the cause of two separate quality issues which have arisen in Belgium in the last week. These issues caused health-related concerns, which prompted the Belgian health minister to take precautionary measures. After thorough investigation, no health or safety issues were found. Both issues are confined to the Belgian market, and these quality matters do not relate to products produced in other parts of the world. The specifics on both issues: The first issue affected the taste of bottles filled in the Antwerp bottling facility. The bottling process includes filling bottles with the soft drink itself and combining with carbon dioxide (which creates the bubbles in soft drinks). Independent laboratory tests have shown that the carbon dioxide involved in the production of these bottles was defective and the cause of the off-taste in the bottled product. The carbon dioxide supply has been replaced and all bottles produced with the defective carbon dioxide are being removed from the market. Again, this issue affects the taste of the soft drinks only, and the defective carbon dioxide was only involved in the production of bottles produced in the Antwerp plant for a limited period of time. The second issue involves an external odor on some canned products. In the case of the Belgian distribution system, a substance used in wood treatment has caused an offensive odor on the outside bottom of the can. Independent analysis determined the product is safe. The Company, in conjunction with its bottling partner in Belgium, is taking all necessary steps to eliminate this offensive odor. The Company continues to work closely with the Belgian Health Ministry in addressing these issues to assure the safety and quality of our products for Belgian consumers, in order to obtain final clearance for sales of the products in the Belgian market. Direct link: thecoca-colacompany.com It's possible that Coca-Cola was selected as a ''backfire target'' by the Flemish agribusiness lobby because of the company's worldwide reach only --that is regardless of any US interference into Belgium's recent elections. In this case, the objective is to saturate the media with a bombshell as shattering as the Chickengate. With a dirty side-effect, though: it might hamper the launch of Coca-Cola's new Brussels HQ...