The FDA has warned Celestial Seasonings tea company about potential dangers from an herbal supplment, a natural sweetener from South America that's called Stevia.

The FDA said Stevia might be harmful for blood sugar levels and cardiovascular systems.

Celestial Seasoning uses Stevia in its Zinger teas and others, including green tea. (See FDA Warning Letter, below, for full list.)

FDA Warning Letter Celestial Seasonings Responds To FDA

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Suntory, PepsiCo In Southeast Asia Soft Drink Tie-Up

TOKYO: Suntory Ltd. said Friday it has agreed to tie up with PepsiCo Inc. in an effort to tap into Southeast Asia's lucrative soft drink market. The privately-held Japanese soft drink and liquor maker said it will sell its canned "Boss" coffee brand via the U.S. company's sales network in Malaysia and Singapore as early as November.Suntory currently bottles and distributes PepsiCo products in Japan. The new tie-up will help the company register additional sales of Y2 billion in 2010.It will expand sales to Vietnam and other countries from 2009. Suntory said it will consign production to a local producer in Malaysia, but declined saying which company.The company said separately it will buy a 50% stake in a unit of Tipco Foods (Thailand) PCL (TIPCO.TH) for about Y4 billion.The alliance will allow Suntory to locally produce and sell its oolong tea and other soft drinks, except coffee, in Thailand from autumn 2009.