,Food Standards Australia New Zealand has finalized regulatory amendments under Proposal P1056 (Caffeine Review), introducing stricter controls on caffeine use in the food supply across Australia, New Zealand. The proposal builds on earlier actions under Proposal P1054 Pure and Highly Concentrated Caffeine Products, which identified risks of acute caffeine poisoning from highly concentrated products.
Following a comprehensive risk and exposure assessment, FSANZ determined that existing regulatory provisions were insufficient to manage emerging risksparticularly due to the growing availability of high-caffeine products such as sports supplements and functional foods.
Risk Assessment Findings
FSANZ established evidence-based safe intake thresholds:
Healthy adults (non-pregnant): up to 400 mg/day (?5.7 mg/kg body weight/day)
Single dose: up to 210 mg caffeine
Pregnant women: intake above 200 mg/day may increase risks (miscarriage, low birth weight, etc.)
Children: up to 3 mg/kg body weight/day
Dietary exposure data showed that:
Up to 6% of Australian adults and 2% of New Zealand adults exceed safe limits
Around 15% of pregnant women may exceed recommended intake
Certain groups (e.g., shift workers, students) are at higher risk
FSANZ has approved a draft variation introducing the following measures:
1. General Prohibitions
Retail sale of caffeine and guarana extract is prohibited unless expressly permitted
Foods cannot contain caffeine as an ingredient unless specifically allowed under the Code
2. Removal of Previous Concentration Limits
The earlier blanket prohibitions from P1054 (?1% in liquids, ?5% in solids) are removed, as the new framework introduces more targeted controls
3. Specific Limits for Sports Foods (FSSF)
Formulated Supplementary Sports Foods (FSSF) may contain:
Maximum 200 mg caffeine per daily serving (total from all sources)
Additional compositional limits:
?1% caffeine for liquids
?5% caffeine for powders
4. New Labelling Requirements
Coffee-containing beverages with ?200 mg caffeine per serve must:
Include advisory warning statements
Declare caffeine content in the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP)
5. Packaging and Composition Controls
New requirements ensure clearer consumer information and safer product formulation, particularly for high-risk categories like sports supplements
Regulatory Impact
The revised framework introduces a permission-based system, where caffeine use is only allowed in defined categories under controlled conditions. Importantly, traditional foods such as coffee, tea, and chocolate remain unaffected, except where packaged beverages exceed the 200 mg caffeine threshold per serving.
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