On November 13, 2009 the FDA issued notification to 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products. “The increasing popularity of consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by college students and reports of potential health and safety issues necessitates that we look seriously at the scientific evidence as soon as possible,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs. The problem is that caffeine has not been approved by the FDA to be added to alcoholic beverages. However, some substances which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS), or have been subject to prior sanction, are legality able to be used as food additives. For a substance to be GRAS, there must be evidence of its safety at the levels used and a basis to conclude that this evidence is generally known and accepted by qualified experts. Thus, the FDA is giving these companies 30 days to produce data to support that the use of caffeine in their products is GRAS or have been previously sanctioned. Click here for a full list of companies and products affected. [via FDA]
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Tags: alcohol, caffeinated, caffeine, FDA, GRAS
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Perhaps the FDA and the USDA should pay more attention to pesticides and genetically modified foods entering the market. Growth harmones in livestock and poultry is doing more harm to human health than is caffinated alcoholic beverages.
The items such a grains, teated for increased crop production, are increasing diabetes and free insulin thus damaging blood vessels and major organs of the body. The increases in diabetes and obeasity are proof this is happening and the American diet is being compromised.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:30 am
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DRINKING RUM & COKE FOR CENTURIES. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? PERHAPS BECAUSE IT’S MIXED AND NOT ALREADY IN THE COKE.