A successful beverage company which has been operating for almost 90 years has recalled multiple of it’s soda products amidst a serious health warning.
The Charles Boggini Company has recalled four popular flavors that they supply to restaurants. The recall will affect almost 3,000 gallons of their soft drinks.
Which Popular Drinks Have Been Recalled?
The recall involves four different types of soda which have been flagged by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These are Pink Lemonade, Cola Flavoring Base, Yellow Lemonade and Yellow Lemonade X.
The recall for these drinks, all of which were recalled in their one and five-gallon forms, was voluntary. This recall included 28 gallons of pink lemonade, 112 gallons of yellow lemonade and yellow lemonade X, and a whopping 2,723 gallons of the cola flavoring base.
What Exactly is The Health Risk?
One of the voluntarily recalled sodas was found to contain a popular red dye that has been linked to rising cases of colorectal cancer – as well as migraines, allergies and mental health problems.
This red food dye contains the carcinogen benzidine. However, benzidine is currently presumed to be safe to consume in small quantities.
Secret Ingredients Land Soda Company in Hot Water
While benzidine may be safe in small quantities, all companies must declare if their products contain any level of it.
However, the Charles Boggini Company had failed to disclose their usage of the red dye which contains benzidine. According to the FDA, ingesting free benzidine raises the cancer risk to one case per one million; just below the official ‘concern’ threshold.
The Nine States Set To Be Hit By The Soda Recall
Recalls of the four soda flavors have taken place in nine states, spanning the Midwest, North East and South West. These recalls were issued at the end of March, but the potential hazard was only made public on Monday.
According to Newsweek reporting, recalls have taken place in California, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Flavor By Flavor: The Problem With Yellow Lemonade
The yellow lemonade, and yellow lemonade X, proved problematic because they contained the Yellow 5 dye. This led to the same issues as the red dye did.
Like the red 40 dye, yellow 5 contains the carcinogen benzidine. While permitted for consumption at low levels, the Charles Boggini Company once again failed to declare this ingredient.
Flavor By Flavor: The Problem With Pink Lemonade
It is the company’s pink lemonade that contains the aforementioned Red 40 dye. With just 28 gallons of this flavor being recalled, the pink lemonade recall will be the least disruptive for the soda manufacturer.
While benzidine, an ingredient in Red 40 dye, is labeled safe for consumption in small amounts, it is still classified as a Class A carcinogen and has previously been linked to bladder cancer.
Flavor by Flavor: The Problem With Cola Flavoring Base
With a massive 2,723 gallons of the cola flavoring base being withdrawn, this is sure to be the most consequential recall for the Charles Boggini Company.
The cola flavoring base was fond to contain sulfites, a salt that is commonly used as a food preservative. However, in sufficiently large quantities, sulfites have been linked to respiratory problems, digestive issues and adverse skin reactions.
Embattled Soda Company Fires Back
When asked for comment, the Charles Boggini Company denied that there had been a recall. Instead, they said that new labels had been sent to clients with an updated ingredient list to add to existing products.
However, the FDA issued an enforcement notice stating a recall of Charles Boggini Company drinks had taken place. This has since been backed up by reporting from USA Today, The New York Post and more.
Problematic Sodas Join Growing List of Recalled Drinks
The Charles Boggini Company joins a list of almost 30 beverages which have been recalled by the FDA in 2024 alone. Like with the recalled lemonades, most of these drinks’ providers have gotten in trouble for failing to disclose all of their ingredients.
The most disruptive recall so far this year has been that of Fiji Water – with 1.9 million bottles recalled due to various bacteria and manganese being detected in the water. Meanwhile, in April some “zero sugar” Schweppes drinks were recalled after they were found to contain full sugar.
