Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Coca Cola Response Part II

Actual information from Coca Cola about animal products in their products.
Here's their response:
"Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company, Mr. Salamán.  We appreciate your interest in our Company.
Except the products that contain cochineal (which is listed on the label) and the products that contain milk (which is also indicated on the label), brands of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States do not contain any ingredient derived from animals.
However, some of our juice products contain Vitamin D3, which is derived from lanolin.  Lanolin is a natural oil in the fiber of sheep's wool.  It is separated from the wool after the sheep's hair is cut (sheared).  Lanolin oil is obtainable without harming the sheep but may be an issue for strict vegetarians.
Additionally, some of our suppliers use a common industry practice for grape juice clarification that does involve animal by-products.  The gelatin used to clarify the juice is made from bovine skin.
In the U.S., the only Coca-Cola brand product that is currently produced with cochineal is Minute Maid Juices To Go Ruby Red Grapefruit Drink.
The only currently manufactured Coca-Cola brand products that contain milk are Far Coast (WOCC only), FUZE Refresh, and Minute Maid Fruit and Creme Swirls.

Tienecka
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company"

So, cool, we got some actual information for once and I don't see Beaver Butt Juice listed. However, lets take a look at what IS in their products.
First, we have cochineal. What is cochineal? You ask. Good question! Let's take a look.
This bug is basically in any red food.

That's right, it's a bug, and yes, they crush the bug and add it to their drinks. Yum, bugs are so good. Anyway, bugs, whatever, that's not so bad.
Lanolin is described by the e-mail itself, so I won't go into it.
Gelatin made from bovine skin? Sounds delicious!
"Hey baby, you want some gelatin?"
So, there you have it folks. No beaver butt juice, just bugs, wool, cow skin, and milk.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Coca Cola Response

So, I received a response from Coca Cola and let's just say I should have listened to the less clever bot.
Here we go:
"Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company, Mr. Salamán. We appreciate your interest in our Company.
Flavor formulations are very valuable proprietary information, therefore, we are not able to provide the source of any of our flavors. However, please be assured that all flavors used in brands of The Coca-Cola Company are recognized as safe and suitable for use by the local regulatory officials in the countries in which they are sold.
Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the substances that can be labeled as flavors, whether natural or artificial, and we strictly adhere to all such guidelines. If you would like to learn more about the FDA standards relating to flavors, they can be reached at www.fda.gov or by phone at 1-888-INFO FDA.

Karla
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company

Hey kids, you wanna try some coke?
Like Hershey, Coca Cola does not issue it's people impressive titles, or even last names. The also cannot spell Georgie Salamán, the Marketing Manager of America, Inc's name correctly. But, back to the issue.
Their response doesn't tell me anything new, so I tried a different approach. I e-mailed them again, but this time I wrote,"Is it possible to know which products use animals, or animal products, in their manufacture?"
We'll have to wait and see if they get back to me.
You can hope for the best, but we already know the answer. *Wink*
Conclusion: Unknown, but most likely.