FDA Plans To Investigate Added Caffeine in Snack Foods

May 29, 2013- Companies have recently increased their offerings of foods with added caffeine as they aim to cater to people seeking an energy boost. Now consumers can buy snacks like popcorn, candy, even gum, infused with caffeine.

A new caffeinated gum by Wrigley may have gone too far. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced recently that it will investigate the safety of added caffeine and its effects on children and adolescents. The announcement came just as Wrigley rolled out Alert Energy Gum, a new product that includes as much caffeine as a half a cup of coffee in one piece and promises "the right energy, right now." A pack of gum is equal to carrying four cups of coffee in your pocket.

The FDA is already investigating the safety of energy drinks and energy shots, prompted by consumer reports of illnesses and deaths.

Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner of foods, said the proliferation of foods with added caffeine may even prompt the FDA to look closer at the way all food ingredients are regulated. Taylor said the only time FDA explicitly approved the added use of caffeine was in the 1950s for colas. The current proliferation of caffeine in foods is “beyond anything FDA envisioned," Taylor said.

Experts say children should have as little caffeine as possible. If they consume too much caffeine, it can cause problems like heart palpitations. Food makers say their caffeinated products are only marketed to adults.

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