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Bought bottle of Coke Zero tonight and opened took a drink and noticed the bottle top smelled like mold or mildew. Smelled the cap and the inside of cap also smelled the same.. poured soda out into a cup and didn't smell bad tasted a bit weird. It is one of the new bottles . I would place bets that I drink more Coke Zero than most people in America and can tell when it's off. I dumped the remainder of the bottle before thinking it could have helped if I saved it. My apologies. Have there been any other complaints? Thanks for listening. Code stamped on the bottle is AUG1219 LPC1949 if that helps
-Jim Botelho
[protected]@yahoo.com
So, I’ve been noticing this with the last several six packs of Coca Cola that I’ve purchased. To where I won’t drink them. First, they want to explode - even if they have been sitting still for a long while, then after I prevent the exploding the mouth and lid of the bottle smells like burnt plastic.
Not the first time I’ve had troubles with exploding coke for no apparent reason - had every single bottle of 5 six bottles to the same thing. But, the smell is very new to me.
My husband I have noticed all summer with this smell on the 20oz plastic Coke bottles no matter where we bought them from! Old basement/ mildewy/ old sponge smell.. it's horrid and I can't seem to find an answer and we are in the Philadelphia area!
I'm glad you explained it like that, I couldn't put into words the smell of these bottles now. I'm in SC and I have the same thing with every 6 pack of sunkist bottles. no matter where I buy them
I just bought a cherry coke zero from a grocery store and a diet coke from a restaurant and the both smelled the same. I am in California.
I've been smelling Cumin in my Coke Zero bottle! I thought it was from when I ate Mexican food because I've frequently had it lately. Then, today I didn't have any and I smelled it! It's the cap I think. I even got two others to smell it and they did, too. Sometimes I smell it and sometimes I don't. Must be the plant.
Same issue here with a six pack of A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer. Exactly like an old dish sponge. I'll be contacting customer service tomorrow.
My husband’s regular coke bottle smells like strong chili/curry powder. It’s disgusting!
Thank you for sending this. I just filed a complaint with Coca-Cola as well. The 20oz Diet Cokes are the exact same way! I have bought 4 different Diet Cokes from different vendors with the same exact issue. It is the recycled plastic bottles and lids that smell absolutely disgusting!
UPDATE! SENT A EMAIL TO COCA COLA ABUT THE 2 20OZ BOTTLES THAT SMELLED BAD FROM MY 6 PACK. I REPLIED TO THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRODUCT AND THEY SENT ME A COUPON FOR A FREE 6 PACK.
Just happened to me too. Old sponge, mildew smell. My hand smells now- so gross. Only had a couple swigs before realizing... ew.
I just called the Coca-Cola Consumer Affairs line at 1-800-GET-COKE to report a smelly bottle, but they didn't have an answer, so I did my own research and here's the best explanation I've found: it might be the build-up of phenylalanine.
https://listverse.com/2018/03/21/top-10-fascinating-diseases-that-you-can-smell/
If you’ve ever drunk a bottle of diet soda and noticed the warning that it contains phenylalanine, you may have wondered about the purpose of that warning. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is another inherited disorder where patients are unable to break down the amino acid phenylalanine. People with this disorder must be careful to avoid foods containing phenylalanine, such as those that contain the artificial sweetener aspartame, like diet soda. If left untreated, PKU can lead to intellectual disability, seizures, and behavioral problems. Many countries actually have newborn screens for this disorder, allowing parents to start treatment early on. AN INTERESTING SIDE EFFECT FROM THE BUILDUP OF PHENYLALANINE IS A MUSTY ODOR THAT MANY DESCRIBE AS BEING "MOUSE-LIKE.”[5] The disease was actually first described in 1934, thanks to this odor. A mother of two intellectually impaired children approached Dr. Asbjorn Folling, complaining of a strange odor being emitted from her kids. Urine samples were taken and studied, leading to the description of the disease.
Same issue here with a regular 20oz coke bottle.
Neck of the bottle is discolored brown and the neck and cap smell like curry/plastic.
Me too just today. 10.2 fl is. The number you bleep to pay for it is ([protected]) proof of purchase number.
I have a regular coke 20oz bottle and it smells like urine. I kept trying to figure out where it was coming from but realized I was only smelling it when I went to drink. Smelled the soda and it smells like urine.
Got 4 six packs of Coke Zero from Pick N Save and one 20 oz smells to me like burnt plastic...others say like a body odor and I can smell that as well. Random I had 3 other bottles from that 6 pack and I only noticed this one.
Just bought a 20oz coke zero on my way out from Best Buy. The top smells pretty bad, just ild something old, its just gross. I have a sensitive nose, I think i just might throw it out.
I purchase a Diet Coke (in a 20oz plastic bottle) at my local Dunkin yesterday and it had the smell of an old rag. I thought at first it was the bottle but I finally smelled inside the top and it seemed to be coming from inside the bottle. I drank about 1/4 of it before smelling inside, now my tummy hurts. Ugh.
I just bought a Coke Zero today at Sam's club and it had an horrible rotten smell and the top of the bottle was also darker in color. Then I went to another Sam's club same day and bought another coke zero and when i opened it, same thing. This happened to me the day before with one I got at Arco and since then I have had a migraine. Anyone else also getting migraine? I sill be contacting coke cola company on Tuesday.
I just thought I’d chime in here as well… I just opened a new 2 liter bottle and I smelled terrible mildew smell. I was in the middle of doing stuff around the kitchen and I thought I had an old dish rag laying somewhere. The smell was so strong it was even left on my hands. I washed my hands and still notice the smell. When I sat down to drink my Diet Coke it had a weird chemical taste to it and I got a severe headache and didn’t feel well. I went back to smell the Diet Coke 2 liter bottle and it was awful. So strong I had a hard time even getting the smell off my hands. I’m going to contact coke as well. I’m from Georgia so you think it would be pretty fresh coming to me.
This happened to me as well. I did contact Coke and they sent me a coupon for a new one. Sadly, I just got a new one and the same issue. It seems to be with the bottles that have been recycled and not broken down before being made into something else.
I asked them to tell me how they sterilize their bottles during the recycle process, but they did not answer. If they are using a detergent like Dawn, that might be it as that product often smells of mildew, but apparently is not.
It is all disturbing.
it seems to me all the sodas bottle I've bought have smelled like this recently. I noticed it with Diet Pepsi first, then Mountain Dew, and then Dr. Pepper. I noticed all the bottles have expirations of August or September of 2021 and I think they are bottles that were produced for last summer and sat in the warehouse during covid shut downs. Now they are cleaning out all of last summers inventory from the warehouse.
This just happened to me. The smell was so strong it made me nauseous and very bad headache. 20oz bottle bought from Dunkin in Baltimore.
Even Oct and November
Could it be some kind of lubrication when the product is bottled, left over? I have smelled the same thing on Sprite Zero 20oz bottles...
I have noticed this “body oder/smelly armpit” smell when I’ve opened a number of Diet Coke bottles, and once the smell was REALLY BAD with a Diet Dr Pepper bottle. Last night I got yet another Diet Coke, but this time I wiped off the inside and outside of the bottle neck with a wet, clean wash towel, dried it, and the smell was gone, prompting me to think it’s some kind of chemical. Since this has happened multiple times and I’ve seen now to multiple people, I am going to call a consumer reporter at a local T.V. station, since it looks like Coca-Cola isn’t answering questions from individual consumers. I urge others affected to do the same, since this “smell” may be evidence of harmful chemicals. LET’S BE SURE OF WHAT WE ARE BUYING AND HOW IT COULD BE AFFECTING OUR BODIES, CONSUMERS!
I bought 2 20oz bottles of Coca Cola, 1 from work at the vending machine that distributes CocaCola products only, and the other at a nearby store.I twisted the cap off, took a drink and instantly smelled something like a mildew or wet clothes sour smell.What is going on with Coca Cola.I've been drinking them for years but that smell ruins the whole experience.I hope it 's safe to consume and not harmful enough to make me sick...
Bought my Coke from GA
I have been drinking Pepsi and the diet Pepsi sodas, and I noticed a bad smell on the rim of the soda. I have never smelled it before it all started this year. It actually left my toothbrush smelling the same. Any other product like dr pepper of sprite I have no problem.
I have gotten quite a few diet coke bottles that smell like body odor. I read somewhere that it is the lids and the gasket inside
I have had the same issue at least 7 times in a year. I emailed Coke and they said they are sending me a letter. That seems strange instead of telling me what the issue may be. Something is off about this with so many people having the same issue across the country. I am in Philadelphia.
I live in Canada..we have a an entirely different bottler & I think we might use a different sweetener in our Diet Coke, too (it tastes different - I switch to tea when I travel, lol), but I have noticed the same thing up here. I’m crazy addicted & drink ... a lot ... of the stuff. Been drinking it for 40 years. I even had a job as a demonstrator pushing “the Great New Taste of Coke!” In the 80s! lol
This problem only began in the last couple of years. What have they changed since then?
Just opened one, and noticed a smell. I thought mildew at first, but it may be a weird plastic chemical smell. Unfortunately I took a few sips before I realized.
I'd just had my maintenence man working on my bathtub drain and I honestly thought the smell was mildew wafting out of the bathroom until I'd almost finished the 20oz bottle. That was 25 hours ago and I'm feeling fine, but, dude. It exactly like an old dish sponge!
I just found this googling musty Coke Zero. I have the same issue in the last two 6 packs of bottles I bought from Walmart. It’s almost like an after taste or smell. I have been feeling weird and wondering if it’s from this. Also wondering if they are spraying them with some type of disinfectant for covid. Anyway it’s gross! Reminds me of dirty dish towel smell.
I've had the same issue on several occasions from 20 oz. Wawa coke bottles. Just drinking one that prompted me to look this up and find this page. The soda itself id fine but cap and top of bottle have very strong mildew smell. I'm guessing it is a summer time issue.
I just googled “musty smelling Coke Zero” because this is the second bottle I’ve opened that smelled like a dirty dish rag! It’s definitely inside the cap. I plan on calling Coke and asking what’s up. I’ll report back what they say.