LOS ANGELES, CA ? With the growing popularity of caffeinated foods and beverages ? recent years have seen the introduction of caffeine-infused chewing gum, drinks and potato chips ? some health experts have begun proposing labeling standards for caffeine, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Behind the labeling push is a need to educate consumers about caffeine's effects on the body, which includes attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, and insomnia, according to James Lane, a professor of medical psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center.
Caffeine that's present naturally from a food ingredient doesn't require labeling, but if caffeine is added to a food or drink, it must appear on the list of ingredients, said Siobhan DeLancey, a public affairs specialist at the FDA. But the FDA does not require the amount of caffeine in a product to be listed.
Some manufacturers have begun to volunteer that information. In 2007, Coca-Cola and Pepsi began listing caffeine content on labels, with 8-ounce servings of each containing 23 and 25 milligrams of caffeine, respectively.
While those amounts are "about average" for cola products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database, the amount varies widely by product.
A 2007 study published in the Journal of Food Science revealed that the caffeine contents of more than 130 brands of soda nationwide ranged from roughly 5 to 75 milligrams per serving.
While many consumers expect caffeine in an energy drink or cola, Silverglade said that when it is added to other products ? yogurt, ice cream or jelly beans, for instance ? consumers could benefit from the added information, especially since coffee-flavored yogurt can contain more caffeine than a serving of Pepsi.
Labeling all caffeine-containing products contains significant challenges, though, as the amount found naturally in food and beverages varies according to the variety and crop growing conditions.
To make any changes to current rules, the FDA would have to draft a proposed rule and then solicit public comment, said DeLancey, who wouldn't comment as to whether that move is being considered.
Няма коментари:
Публикуване на коментар