• The New York Times, Thursday, May 31, 2007 10:30 AM

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are the latest-and biggest--companies to respond to scrutiny by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). They agreed to stop directly financing research that uses animals to test or develop their products, except where such testing is required by law.

PETA researchers sought the assurances after discovering studies financed by the companies that used animals like rats and chimpanzees to test taste perception and, in some cases, to bolster support for promotional health claims. In one study involving a Coca-Cola scientist, financed by Nutrasweet, chimpanzees' faces were cut open to study nerve impulses used in the perception of sweet tastes.

Scientists conducting basic research in animal models have cautioned against PETA's hard line, saying their work--which may have medical benefits--would not be possible in many cases without help from corporate sponsors.

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