Health Effects

Regulations of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are a big market with almost US$ 10 billion in sales. It is very popular among youngsters particularly in the age group of 12-16 years. The problem with these drinks is overconsumption leads to excessive caffeine and sugar in the body which has several side effects which are harmful.

Countries like Denmark, Uruguay and Turkey have banned energy drinks altogether while Sweden has banned its sale among children. The European Food Safety Authority mandates that energy drinks with over 150 parts per million (ppm) or 150 mg/ℓ caffeine content should be labelled as ones with “high caffeine content” and the exact amount should be indicated.

Australia has banned energy drinks with over 320 ppm caffeine level and proposes to classify them as pharma products. In Australia, caffeine is considered a food additive and is regulated under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Standard 2.6.4 limits the maximum amount of caffeine to 320 ppm and requires additional labelling advising that the products are not suitable for young children, pregnant or lactating women and “individuals sensitive to caffeine”.