Final BIS meeting to set pesticide and caffeine standards for soft drinks in Hyderabad on Friday, May 27, 2005
The Drinks and Carbonated Beverages Sectional Committee, FAD 14, of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is holding its eleventh, crucial and final, meeting to set standards for soft drinks on Friday, May 27, 2005. The issues are critical as BIS is trying to set standards for pesticides, pH and caffeine in the soft drinks.
The BIS committee has been working since last two years to bring to an end the process that started with the release of the study on pesticides in soft drinks by the Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment in August 2003. The committee members include representatives from the industry (including soft drink companies), consumers groups, environmental groups, other government agencies and civil society.
There is tremendous pressure from industry to dilute the standards and if possible not to have pesticide standards for soft drinks. While consumer and environment groups are working together to get the standards enforced. The meeting will be held at National Institute of Nutrition (Indian Council of Medical Research), Jamia Osmania PO, Hyderabad, 10.30 AM onwards.
Sunita Narain, director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi and Chandra Bhushan, associate director, CSE, will be attending the meeting. They will be briefing the press after the meeting.
For more details, write to Shachi Chaturvedi at shachi@cseindia.org or call her at 9810098142, 011-29955124, 29955125, 29956401.
Share this article