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FDA warns companies to cease selling dangerous caffeine products
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The FDA issued warning letters to liquidcaffeine.com and Dual Health Body and Mind to stop selling certain illegal pure and highly concentrated potentially lethal caffeine products that threaten public health, according to a press release issued by the agency.
“We’ve already seen at least two deaths linked to pure or concentrated caffeine, and we’ll be enforcing the law to protect consumers from these products,” Scott Gottlieb, MD, commissioner of the FDA, said in the release. “Today’s action is part of these efforts... These letters build on our efforts to stop the illegal sale of highly concentrated forms of caffeine that are being sold in bulk packages.”
According to the FDA, 200 mg is the safe serving size of caffeine, which translates to 1/16 of a teaspoon of pure powder or 2.5 teaspoons of a liquid product.
The liquidcaffeine.com product contains multiple toxic doses in its 16-ounce package, according to the FDA. The labeling on the product incorrectly suggests that consumers can ration out a safe serving using a pump that is not sold in conjunction with the product, according to the FDA.
The Dual Health Body and Mind product has 8 oz of pure powdered caffeine and is sold in packages as big as 5.5 lb, according to the FDA. The product labeling recommends a 200-mg serving size; however, the serving cannot be measured precisely with common household tools, according to the FDA. The FDA noted that a mistake in measurement could led to a toxic or life-threatening dose.
A potentially lethal dose of caffeine is between 10 g and 14 g and may be even smaller for children and sensitive populations, according to the FDA.
Liquidcaffeine.com and Dual Health Body and Mind have 15 days to notify the FDA about how they are addressing the violations and plan to prevent them from recurring, according to the release. The FDA may enforce seizure and/or injunction if the companies to not comply promptly, according to the release.
Disclosure: Gottlieb is employed by the FDA.