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FDA acts to pull concentrated caffeine from market
Source: NBC News
FDA acts to pull concentrated caffeine from market
Just a teaspoon can deliver a lethal dose of caffeine
by Maggie Fox / Apr.13.2018 / 10:13 AM ET
Bulk caffeine products may have killed at least two people and they don’t belong on the market, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
The FDA declared concentrated, bulk caffeine products illegal and said it would act to get them off the shelves.
“These products present a significant public health threat because of the high risk that they will be erroneously used at excessive, potentially dangerous doses,” the FDA said in a statement.
“Highly concentrated and pure caffeine, often sold in bulk packages, have been linked to at least two deaths in otherwise healthy individuals.”
-snip-
Just a teaspoon can deliver a lethal dose of caffeine
by Maggie Fox / Apr.13.2018 / 10:13 AM ET
Bulk caffeine products may have killed at least two people and they don’t belong on the market, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
The FDA declared concentrated, bulk caffeine products illegal and said it would act to get them off the shelves.
“These products present a significant public health threat because of the high risk that they will be erroneously used at excessive, potentially dangerous doses,” the FDA said in a statement.
“Highly concentrated and pure caffeine, often sold in bulk packages, have been linked to at least two deaths in otherwise healthy individuals.”
-snip-
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-acts-pull-concentrated-caffeine-market-n865716
______________________________________________________________________
Source: US Food & Drug Administration
FDA News Release
FDA takes step to protect consumers against dietary supplements containing dangerously high levels of extremely concentrated or pure caffeine
April 13, 2018
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took an important step to better protect consumers from the dangers of highly concentrated and pure caffeine products. These products present a significant public health threat because of the high risk that they will be erroneously used at excessive, potentially dangerous doses. Highly concentrated and pure caffeine, often sold in bulk packages, have been linked to at least two deaths in otherwise healthy individuals.
The agency issued a new guidance to clarify that dietary supplements containing pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid forms are considered unlawful when sold in bulk quantities directly to consumers. Given the significant public health concern, this guidance is immediately in effect. The FDA is prepared to take steps right away to begin removing illegal products from the market.
"Despite multiple actions against these products in the past, we’ve seen a continued trend of products containing highly concentrated or pure caffeine being marketed directly to consumers as dietary supplements and sold in bulk quantities, with up to thousands of recommended servings per container. We know these products are sometimes being used in potentially dangerous ways. For example, teenagers, for a perceived energy kick, sometimes mix dangerously high amounts of super-concentrated caffeine into workout cocktails. The amounts used can too easily become deceptively high because of the super-concentrated forms and bulk packaging in which the caffeine is being sold," said Scott Gottlieb, M.D., FDA commissioner. "We’re making clear for industry that these highly concentrated forms of caffeine that are being sold in bulk packages are generally illegal under current law. We’ll act to remove these dangerous bulk products from the market."
A half cup of a highly concentrated liquid caffeine can contain approximately 2,000 mg of caffeine and just a single teaspoon of a powdered pure caffeine product can contain approximately 3,200 mg of caffeine. This is equivalent to about 20 to 28 cups of coffee, a potentially toxic dose of caffeine. In fact, less than two tablespoons of some formulations of powdered, pure caffeine can be deadly to most adults, while even smaller amounts can be life threatening to children. Risk of overuse and misuse is high when highly concentrated caffeine is sold in bulk quantities, and consumers are expected to measure a very small, precise recommended serving. Regardless of whether the product contains a warning label, such products present a significant and unreasonable risk of illness or injury to the consumer.
-snip-
FDA takes step to protect consumers against dietary supplements containing dangerously high levels of extremely concentrated or pure caffeine
April 13, 2018
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took an important step to better protect consumers from the dangers of highly concentrated and pure caffeine products. These products present a significant public health threat because of the high risk that they will be erroneously used at excessive, potentially dangerous doses. Highly concentrated and pure caffeine, often sold in bulk packages, have been linked to at least two deaths in otherwise healthy individuals.
The agency issued a new guidance to clarify that dietary supplements containing pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid forms are considered unlawful when sold in bulk quantities directly to consumers. Given the significant public health concern, this guidance is immediately in effect. The FDA is prepared to take steps right away to begin removing illegal products from the market.
"Despite multiple actions against these products in the past, we’ve seen a continued trend of products containing highly concentrated or pure caffeine being marketed directly to consumers as dietary supplements and sold in bulk quantities, with up to thousands of recommended servings per container. We know these products are sometimes being used in potentially dangerous ways. For example, teenagers, for a perceived energy kick, sometimes mix dangerously high amounts of super-concentrated caffeine into workout cocktails. The amounts used can too easily become deceptively high because of the super-concentrated forms and bulk packaging in which the caffeine is being sold," said Scott Gottlieb, M.D., FDA commissioner. "We’re making clear for industry that these highly concentrated forms of caffeine that are being sold in bulk packages are generally illegal under current law. We’ll act to remove these dangerous bulk products from the market."
A half cup of a highly concentrated liquid caffeine can contain approximately 2,000 mg of caffeine and just a single teaspoon of a powdered pure caffeine product can contain approximately 3,200 mg of caffeine. This is equivalent to about 20 to 28 cups of coffee, a potentially toxic dose of caffeine. In fact, less than two tablespoons of some formulations of powdered, pure caffeine can be deadly to most adults, while even smaller amounts can be life threatening to children. Risk of overuse and misuse is high when highly concentrated caffeine is sold in bulk quantities, and consumers are expected to measure a very small, precise recommended serving. Regardless of whether the product contains a warning label, such products present a significant and unreasonable risk of illness or injury to the consumer.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm604485.htm
