FDA Tells CocaCola To Remove 'Plus' Claim On New Diet Soda

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning the Coca-Cola Company that its new Diet Coke Plus product is in violation of federal rules allowing certain food and beverages to make nutritious claims on their labels.

The agency sent a letter to Coca-Cola executives on Dec. 10 saying that the company has 15 days to respond to the warning and explain in detail "each step being taken to correct the current violations and prevent similar violations."

The FDA told Coke that it is in violation of certain federal rules because, "Your Diet Coke Plus product is mislabeled... .because the product makes a nutrient content claim but does not meet the criteria to make that claim."

Among the regulations the FDA says Coca-Cola is in violation of is a rule that the FDA considers it inappropriate to fortify snack foods such as carbonated beverages. The FDA specifically objects to Coke's use of the word "plus." In order for a product to legally contain the word, the product must contain at least 10 percent or more of the "Reference Daily Intake or Daily Reference Value for the nutrient per reference amount customarily consumed than an appropriate reference food," the letter states.