A bug is seen in this bottle of Sprite. [Beijing Times]
 

Coca-Cola will pay 2.05 yuan ($0.30) as compensation to Mr Gao, who claimed to have found a three-centimeter bug in an unopened bottle of Sprite, Daxing district court said, the Beijing Times reported today.

Mr Gao, who was unsatisfied with the decision and lodged an appeal again, asked for the company for a compensation of 4.10 yuan ($0.60), together with a written apology.

According to the result of a judicial expertise, the court believed the bottle of Sprite was a real production of Coca-Cola China and said the company as an influential beverage producer should enhance supervision on food security and protect consumers' legal rights.

Two cases of mercury poisoning related to Sprite are under police investigation in Beijing. A 13-year-old boy was diagnosed in January as mercury poisoning after drinking a can of Sprite.

In November 2009, a man surnamed Zhang vomited beads of liquid mercury right after drinking a can of Sprite in a restaurant.