Coca-Cola is phasing out the controversial additive sodium benzoate, also known as E211. It has been linked to damage to DNA and hyperactivity in children. E211 is used as a mold prevention measure.
By the end of the year, no can or bottle of Diet Coke will contain E211.
The company plans to remove it from its other products as soon as possible, but claims that it has not yet found a satisfactory alternative to replace the additive in some soft drinks with a higher juice content, such as Fanta, Dr Pepper, Sprite and Oasis. The chemical is not used in regular Coke.
Research by Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology at Sheffield University, found that the additive could switch off parts of DNA, and that it could be linked to cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's disease.