Mumbai: The Central Food Laboratory (CFL) Kolkata has given clean chit to soft drink giants Pepsi and Coke, saying random samples tested by it did not contain pesticide residue above the prescribed limit.

The CFL, after testing 13 samples each of Pepsi and Coke taken from different bottling plants, said none of the samples exceeded the "pesticide residue limit" as prescribed by the National Experts Group.

West Bengal government prepared the report as per the directive of the Calcutta High Court after testing 26 samples of different products of the two multi-national soft drink companies and served a copy to the petitioner's counsel Idris Ali.

The affidavit was signed by the assistant director of health services (prevention of food adulteration), West Bengal.

Acting on a writ petition by Ali, alleging presence of harmful pollutants and pesticides in soft drinks of the two companies, a division bench headed by Chief Justice S S Nijjar had directed the state to collect samples of the soft drinks from different locations and have them tested by the CFL here.

The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), meanwhile, has pledged to lead its global beverage operations, including those of its franchise bottlers, to replace the water it uses in its beverages and their production.

The company will focus its actions in three core areas: reducing the water used to produce its beverages, recycling water used for beverage manufacturing processes, and replenishing water in communities and nature.

The pledge was announced at the annual meeting of WWF in Beijing, where the company launched a multi-year partnership with WWF to conserve and protect freshwater resources.

This $20 million commitment from The Coca-Cola Company to WWF will be used to help conserve seven of the world's most important freshwater river basins, support more efficient water management in its operations and global supply chain, and reduce the company's carbon footprint.