A national-level experts group set up by the Centre to study the issue of pesticide content in soft drinks has stressed on the need to study the health impact of carbonated drinks.
“There is a need to carry out well controlled studies to assess effects of consumption of carbonated water on health,” the experts committee said in it report submitted to the Supreme Court recently.
The panel, set up by the Health Ministry and chaired by N K Ganguly, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said the contents of carbonated water could be harmful if their intake exceeds the maximum permissible limits.
It recommended setting up of an independent cell for risk analysis to promptly provide an objective risk assessment and risk evaluation on a wide array of food safety issues.
“Efforts should be made to develop capacity of analytical facilities in selected laboratories which could be used for monitoring purposes,” the report said.
The committee, which recommended the first-ever standards for soft drinks in the country, said data should be generated on consumption pattern of carbonated beverages.
The experts have also recommended that awareness should be spread, especially among school-going children, to wean them away from consuming high calorie rich and non-nutritious junk foods and drinks.