India demands recipes for Coke and Pepsi

India's Supreme Court has asked the local subsidiaries of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to disclose the ingredients in their soft drinks, amid allegations that they contain high levels of pesticide.

Last week, a New Delhi-based independent research body said it found pesticide residues in samples of Coke and Pepsi that were 24 times above the limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

The Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi said it carried out tests on 57 samples taken from 11 soft-drink brands made by Coca-Cola India and PepsiCo India, and found a "cocktail of three to five different pesticides", all apparently present in groundwater used to make the drinks.

There was no immediate comment from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, which traditionally keep the formula for their fizzy drinks a closely guarded secret, known only to a handful of people.

Last week, both companies said the soft drinks sold in India "comply with stringent international norms and all applicable national regulations".