‘DEADLY’ Canned Soda

In the past, we have alluded to the extra high sugar contents of soft drinks which, together with other high-carbo foods, contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. All types of soft drinks, including the diet or light version, have also been implicated in a “grand slam” condition so called Metabolic Syndrome (combination of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease/stroke), a triple slap of major illnesses.

This topic today relates to an incident where a woman, on a Sunday boating trip, drank a can of soft drink from a boat refrigerator. She fell ill and was taken to the hospital the following day. She died two days later. The autopsy revealed she died of Leptospirosis, a deadly infection caused by dried rat urine, which contains highly toxic substances. Obviously, the can from which the victim drank, without washing, was contaminated with rat urine. These canned beverages (and all canned, bottled and packaged foods) are typically stored in warehouses prior to distribution stores, where rodents may be present in either places. For canned soft drinks, it is best to clean the top before opening, to use a straw or to drink from a glass. Obviously, general precautions must be taken for anything we ingest.