FDA STATEMENT: IOM REPORT ON CAFFEINE IN FOOD AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

FROM:  FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 
FDA STATEMENT
Jan. 17, 2014
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael R. Taylor's Statement on the Institute of Medicine Report on Caffeine in Food and Dietary Supplements

The FDA thanks the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for convening the Aug. 5-6, 2013, public workshop on caffeine in food and dietary supplements. The FDA requested the workshop because we know how important it is to get the science right. The summary report that IOM issued today will be extremely informative as we continue our investigation of the safety of caffeine, particularly its effects on children and adolescents.

In the last ten years, the marketplace has seen an influx of caffeinated energy drinks and a wide range of foods with added caffeine. It is apparent that caffeine is now appearing in a range of new foods and beverages. We are especially concerned with products that may be attractive and readily available to children and adolescents, without careful consideration of their cumulative impact.

Since the IOM workshop, we have engaged in a dialog with industry, consumers and the scientific community on a number of options to address this important public health issue. We appreciate the voluntary restraint that some companies have shown as we continue to investigate safe levels of caffeine consumption.

With public safety as our top priority, we also continue to investigate each adverse event report we receive on energy drinks and other caffeinated products. We have just recently moved to an online adverse event reporting system for dietary supplements that will make it easier for the FDA to detect dietary supplements that pose risk for a range of reasons, including excessive levels of caffeine.