Fast-Food Chains To Now Mark Containers Used To Serve Beverages That Contain Caffeine

In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked McDonald’s to serve their caffeine beverages only in containers that display the lable “contains caffeine”.

Harshadeep Kamble, FDA Commissioner, spoke about this and said, “There are adverse effects of consumption of caffeinated food products and specific category of people are more susceptible to caffeinated food products such as pregnant women, lactating mothers, children and patients to whom it is medically advised to avoid consumption of caffeine.”

Kamble had also rejected an appeal by a Kolhapur-based franchise of the American fast-food chain and also by a global soft drink major challenging the local FDA official objection to non-display of caffeine warning on containers. He added, “If a person is medically advised to avoid caffeine due to certain health condition and if he consumes caffeinated food product where warning regarding added caffeine is not declared, then it will be highly risky for his health.”

Containers that are used to serve beverages with caffeine in them, are to be clearly marked as “contains caffeine”. All FDA officials have been asked to check the outlets of McDonald’s, as well as other chains like Burger King and KFC and also inspect malls and multiplexes.

“They (the franchise and the soft drink company) are hiding the facts about added caffeine from consumers and indulging in unfair trade practices to increase their sale of beverages containing added caffeine,” Kamble also said.