Should nutrition labels on soft drinks also contain information about caffeine content? Two Auburn University researchers say such information would be helpful to consumers.
Some consumers want low levels of caffeine for health reasons, and others prefer the effects of higher caffeine, said food scientist Leonard Bell. The addition of caffeine contents to food labels would help them make better choices.
In their study, published in the August issue of the Journal of Food Science, Bell and fellow researcher Ken-Hong Chou described their evaluation of 56 national brands and 75 store brands of carbonated beverages.
According to the study, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the legal limit of caffeine in carbonated beverages at about 72 milligrans of caffeine for a 12-ounce can of soft drink.
Bell and Chou found the range of caffeine in 12-ounce cans of carbonated beverages to vary from a low of just under 5 milligrans for a store brand of cola to a high of 74 milligrams for Vault Zero, a citrus drink. Their study included cola, pepper-type and citrus beverages of both national-brands and private-label store-brands.
New flavors, formulas and brands of carbonated beverages are continually being introduced into the market, but since most do not provide caffeine content information in their labeling, consumers cannot make quick choices based on comparison at the point of purchase.
In their article, Bell and Chou conclude that if all manufacturers placed caffeine contents on food labels, consumers would have the ability to instantly compare products, enabling them to make more informed purchasing decisions.
