One more cup of coffee for the road
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) started 2015 with a bang with the release of the long-awaited caffeine safety opinion in January.
The almost 100-page risk assessment stated 400 mg of caffeine a day and single doses of up to 200 mg from all sources were not a safety concern for adults.
Joris Geelen of Food Law Consult said the opinion was one of the more positive claim happenings of the year as it could overrule more stringent maximum levels in some member states. Energy drinks proved a particularly contentious point in discussions around the assessment.
The opinion could also impact the final rejection or acceptance of five caffeine health claims approved by EFSA but stuck in limbo at Commission level due to public health concerns.
The five on-hold claims with varying doses are:
- Caffeine helps to improve concentration
- Caffeine helps to increase alertness
- Caffeine contributes to a reduction in the rated perceived exertion/effort during endurance exercise
- Caffeine contributes to an increase in endurance performance
- Caffeine contributes to an increase in endurance performance capacity
