CHENNAI: PMK youth wing leader and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday demanded that Coke and Pepsi as well as KFC foods be subjected to rigorous tests and their sale banned if found to contain poisonous substances.
According to him, while Pepsi and Coke sold in the US and Europe contain poisonous substances within stipulated limits, their products marketed in the country had 30 times the permissible quantity. Each can of Coke, he said, contains eight teaspoons of sugar and children who drink them regularly would develop obesity, diabetes, high BP and other illness. “A colorant named Caramel used to bring the dark grey colour of these drinks had been proved to cause cancer in lungs, liver and thyroid. Those who drink these drinks for long develop osteoporosis. These drinks can be harmful in other ways also,” he said.
On KFC products, he said there were complaints that the joint was importing chicken legs rejected in the US which are highly harmful. The TN government should start an awareness program for the public regarding the ill effects of Pepsi and Coke and junk foods. Tamil Nadu should set a precedence to other states by banning the sale of these products in the neighbourhood of schools and educational institutions, he added.
“Other products like Fanta, ThumsUp, Mirinda, 7Up, Sprite have also been found to contain carcinogenic and immunosuppressive substances,” he said.
