The AP is reporting that Venezuela has banned Coke Zero because the company allegedly didn’t declare a potentially harmful artificial sweetener when it “received its initial health permit to begin selling the product in April.”

Coke denies that the sweetener in question, sodium cyclamate, is even in the beverage. Sodium cyclamate is legal in Venezuela, but not in the U.S.

The AP says:

The U.S. prohibits the use of cyclamates in human food because of health safety concerns. Sales of Coca-Cola Zero elsewhere in Latin America have met with resistance over the sweetener’s use.

But Rosy Alvarez, a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola Servicios de Venezuela, told The Associated Press on Thursday that Coca-Cola Zero sold in Venezuela uses other artificial sweeteners.

“No ingredient of Coca-Cola Zero is harmful to peoples’ health,” she said

The Venezuelan government says that tests show Coke Zero contains the sweetener.

Venezuela Bans Coca-Cola [MyFoxAtlanta]

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