Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 17, 1993 TAG: 9306170227
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Several dozen people in more than 20 states have reported finding hypodermic syringes in cans of Diet Pepsi and other soft drinks since the first incident was reported in Washington state late last week.
Some complainants have videotaped re-enactments of their syringe recoveries; some have contacted the Food and Drug Administration through their attorneys.
In a statement issued Wednesday, FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler, whose agency is leading the investigation, said the "FDA will investigate thoroughly each complaint of tampering." However, he said, "History has shown us that news of potential tamperings often breeds complaints of similar incidents, many of which turn out to be false." The agency is not releasing exact figures on the number of reports.
Pepsi took its case to the airwaves. Craig Weatherup, chief of Pepsi's North American operations, appeared Tuesday night on ABC's "Nightline" and then showed up on all three networks' morning news programs Wednesday, touting the security of the Pepsi bottling process. Noting the cans recovered in syringe claims were manufactured over a six-month period, he told CBS radio that "for all these incidences to show up in a 48-hour period is literally inconceivable."
So far, no one has been injured in any of the alleged syringe incidents. The FDA has suggested that until the matter is cleared up, consumers should not drink directly from soda cans but pour the contents into a cup instead.
by CNB