Don't throw out your Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta Orange just yet: lot numbers verify recalled items

Have you heard about the recall of nearly 2,000 cases of 12-oz cans of Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta Orange, which were pulled due to possible "foreign material"? You may have rushed to your pantry to check for incriminating dates on your drinks, but if you found any don't throw them out just yet. They're probably OK.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 417 cases of Diet Coke, 1,557 cases of Sprite and 14 cases of Fanta Orange, all 12-packs of 12-oz. aluminum cans manufactured and distributed by a Coca-Cola bottler and distributor in Alabama (United Packers, LLC, also known as Coca-Cola UNITED) were subject to a voluntary recall initiated by the company. The affected cases of soda were distributed in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, the agency said, and the company later reported there were no more left on store shelves.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida LLC, the bottler that exclusively manufactures and distributes Coca-Cola products throughout most of this state, issued a release Thursday afternoon to explain to Florida consumers that the Alabama distributor only distributes to a small part of the Panhandle.

"Coca-Cola UNITED voluntarily recalled a limited quantity of Fanta Orange, Sprite and Diet Coke in a total of 48 stores in the following Coca-Cola UNITED markets: Valparaiso, FL; Robertsdale and Mobile, AL; Gulfport and Ocean Springs, MS.," the release said.

Which left me a bit confused, because over here in Volusia County it looked like I had one. After I wrote an article about the recall I checked my own supplies and found a 12-pack box of Sprite that matched the alert with the right UPC number and the same best-by date that were listed in the recall notice on the FDA site and mentioned in all the news stories (including mine).

Coca-Cola Communications quickly cleared it up: mine were made locally, not in Alabama. There's also a lot number to look for, my case just happened to have the same best-by date as the recalled products. I can swig my Sprite without fear. Apart from the sugar content.

"The ORD on the product in your picture is what indicates it was manufactured in Orlando," Coca-Cola Communications wrote in an email. "The product would have the MBD3 portion of the lot number if it were part of the recall. MBD3 indicates manufacturing in Mobile, Alabama by Coca-Cola UNITED."

What was in the Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta Orange cans?

Unclear. The recall only says "potential foreign material."

The recall was classified as a Class II recall by the FDA, which means a situation where a “violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.”

Which Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta Orange products are affected by the recall?

The products were all 12 oz cans packaged in 12-can fridge packs.

The UPC numbers, best-by dates and lot numbers for the affected items are as follows:

• Diet Coke: UPC: 49000028911; Best by: 01/29/24; Lot No. JAN2924MBD3

• Fanta Orange: UPC: 49000030730; Best by: 07/29/24; Lot No. JUL2924MBD3

• Sprite: UPC: 49000028928; Best by: 07/29/24; Lot No. JUL2924MBD3

Look for MBD3 in the lot number. Even if the UPC and date are the same, a different lot number means it came from somewhere besides Alabama and it's perfectly safe.

What do I do if I have recalled Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta Orange cans?

If you have any of the packages, even if you've opened them already, do not drink any of them. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them for a refund.

Has this happened to Coca-Cola before?

In 2021, Coca-Cola recalled nearly 10,000 cases of Minute Maid fruit drinks in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Maine and New Jersey due to "the potential of foreign objects, specifically metal bolts or washers."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Diet Coke recall. How to check Sprite, Fanta UPCs, dates, lot numbers