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FDA: Diet Coke Plus Is A Minus

Traces of vitamins do not a health drink make.

If the label says it's healthy then it must be true.

Well, that's what Coca-Cola (nyse: KO- news- people) would love for its consumers to believe, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has other plans.

The regulatory agency issued a warning letter to the soft drink giant earlier this month explaining to the company that its label for Diet Coke Plus violates the FDA's guidelines for using the word "plus" and claiming that it provides "vitamins and minerals." While the drink does include trace amounts of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B, the FDA contends that those small amounts are not sufficient to make the claims.

Beyond that, the FDA said in its letter that it does not "consider it appropriate to fortify snack foods such as carbonated beverages."

Coca-Cola has been on a crusade to revamp its image from a purveyor of highly sweetened, fattening products to a more family-friendly image of low-calorie, nutritional drinks. While the company has had some success with its water and sports-drink products, it is still associated with its syrupy-sweet eponymous drink. Coke's website claims that it sells 700 low-calorie or no-calorie drinks throughout the world. Diet Coke Plus was added to its line of products in early 2007 and is sold in Britain, Guam and the United States.

The letter, issued on Dec. 10, and posted on the FDA website on Tuesday, gave Coke 15 days to reply with its plans for actions. The company said it plans to reply in early January and added, "We take seriously the issues raised by the FDA in its letter. This does not involve any health or safety issues, and we believe the label on Diet Coke Plus complies with FDA's policies and regulations."

Coke's violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act could mean hefty fines and a seizure of product from the pop king, but often these sorts of issues are resolved without incident.