Government said on Monday it was treating the issue of pesticides in soft drinks with 'utmost seriousness' and would take all steps to ensure the safety of consumers.

"The ministry of health and family welfare has taken note of the studies carried out by Centre for Science and Environment as well as discussions in print and electronic media...CSE has made available a copy of the aforesaid study," a statement tabled in Parliament said, adding that the report was being examined.

The ministry views the issue of contamination of soft drinks (carbonated water) with utmost seriousness and is committed to protecting the health of consumers and would take all necessary steps to ensure this, it added.

The statement said as per the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee set up subsequent to CSE's report in 2003, the standards for soft drinks were amended making it mandatory for manufacturers to use water conforming to standards prescribed for packaged drinking water to make soft drinks.

It said a study commissioned by the ministry for pesticide residues in samples of sugar, which is used in making soft drinks, collected from different regions of the country broadly found absence of pesticides.

The data generated is being reviewed by a peer group of 2-3 pesticide residue chemists from designated government institutions and is expected to be completed shortly, it said.

Once completed, a multi-centre study using LC-MS-MS (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry) would be conducted to pre-empt the remotest possibility of pesticides coming from sugar, it added.

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