The timing couldn't be worse for Coca-Cola: Having just announced the arrival of a new flavor for the US market — Coca-Cola Orange Cream, coming in February — the international company was forced to recall a range of its drinks, distributed in northwestern Europe.

An "excessively high chlorate content" was detected in cans and bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico, said the company in a press statement on Monday.

How to know whether your product is affected: Look for a production code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE.

Chlorates are salts of chloric acid — a compound containing chlorine and oxygen, also known as an oxoacid or oxyacid.

They can occur as a byproduct of chlorine-based disinfectants used in food and drink production, including agriculture. Such disinfectants may be used to sanitize water systems, but can leave........

© Deutsche Welle