Turkey's top administrative court orders analysis of Coca-Cola for harmful ingredients

Duvar English 

Turkey's Council of State has ordered experts to examine whether soft drink Coca-Cola includes harmful ingredients, Deutsche Welle's Turkish service reported on Nov. 13. 

The court reversed the judgement of a local court, which rejected an application by Ethem Öztürk, who wanted the examination of Coca-Cola for chemicals, carcinogens and other harmful ingredients. 

Öztürk, who said that he works on children's health and education, filed an application with the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry in 2014 in order for the authorities to determine the said ingredients and prevent them if there are any. 

The applicant also asked for the ministry to ban all types of advertisement, sales and marketing methods of Coca-Cola, citing their "adverse affects on children." 

Upon getting rejected, Öztürk filed a complaint with an Ankara court in order for the ministry's rejection to be overturned. The court rejected the case in 2015, saying that the ingredients have already been analyzed and the fact that the drink is being sold shows that it's safe. 

The court also said that the flavorings in Coca-Cola were previously approved following risk analyses. 

Undeterred by both rejections, Öztürk took the case to the Council of State, which accepted his complaint, saying that the local court rejected the case without carrying out examinations of the said ingredients. 

"The solution of this issue requires special and technical knowledge, so an expert analysis is needed," the court said, noting that the result should also be conveyed to the company since the outcome would affect its interests. 

The local court is expected to assign an expert to analyze Coca-Cola and review the report that will be prepared afterwards. The court's ruling will be determined in line with the expert's findings.