Coca-Cola has recalled its Dasani bottled water in the UK after tests revealed the new product contained high levels of a potentially harmful chemical.

The global soft drink manufacturer said it would recall about half-a-million Dasani bottles from store shelves in the UK within the next day.

Coca-Cola said the decision was taken after a meeting with the industry watchdog the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on Thursday.

Tests found high levels of bromate in samples.

Bromate, a non-metallic salt, has been linked to a higher risk of cancer.

The FSA said Coca-Cola’s recall was “sensible” under the circumstances and there was no public health risk if the bottles were withdrawn from shelves.

A spokesman for Coke Cola Great Britain sought to allay consumer concerns.

Tim Wilkinson said: “The permitted levels in the UK are 10 parts per billion, we range certainly up to a level around 25 with a median of 17.

“We made the decision to voluntarily withdraw Dasani from the UK which we are putting into practise today.”

President of Coca-Cola UK, Charlotte Oades, said the withdrawal was “precautionary.”

“There is no, and I reiterate, there is no immediate health or safety risk at all.

“We are really upset about what’s happened and we apologise for the inconvenience it has caused to all our consumers and all our customers.”

Coca-Cola launched Dasani in the UK in January. The new drink splashed the headlines when the firm was forced to acknowledge the product was not mineral water but purified tap water.