Does Monster deserve all the blame? While the Food and Drug Administration examines the dangers of energy drinks, it’s also going to look at how foods with added caffeine affect the safety of children and adolescents. The FDA’s deputy commissioner of foods, Michael Taylor, says that items like caffeinated gum are equivalent to “four cups of coffee in your pocket.” Certain brands of candy, chips, and trail mix have added caffeine, too — like Jelly Belly’s “Extreme Sport Beans.” What’s alarming is that the FDA hasn’t explicitly approved adding caffeine to food and drinks since the fifties, only slapping a “generally recognized as safe” label on products. This news hits on the same day that Monster, a company that’s facing serious accusations that its drinks could cause death, is suing Dennis Herrera, San Francisco’s city attorney. Herrera wrote a letter asking Monster to reduce the amount of caffeine in its drinks, provide clear warning labels, and stop marketing to minors. Monster is saying it’s being unfairly singled out — so in a twisted way, just for today, the FDA agrees with Monster. [AP, Earlier, AP]
