FROM: Sturgess, Frances Coulter
TO:[log in to unmask]
   [log in to unmask]
SUBJECT: hidden caffeine--long
DATE: 08-05-97   16:14 EST
PRIORITY: 

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------ FORWARDED FROM: Sturgess, Frances Coulter WONDER/PC HEADER:
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sent via the SNE emial mailing list, cheers, mary
>>
>>Below is a press release from CSPI. They had a press conference today.
We
>>heard that the press conference was to be on CBS news this evening,
but it
>>was not. I was covered by local news here in DC. Suspect that you may
be
>>getting questions about caffine. I copied this from the CSPI web site.
The
>>url is
>>http://www.cspinet.org
>>
>>Here is the press release:
>>
>>Label Caffeine Content of Foods, Scientists Tell FDA
>>
>>Health Activists Say Caffeine Causes More Than a 'Buzz': Miscarriages,
>>Withdrawal Symptoms, Poor Nutrition
>>
>>
>>Caffeine may cause miscarriages, insomnia, and other problems,
according to
>>more than 40 scientific studies outlined in a 70-page petition filed
by the
>>Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). CSPI and dozens of
health
>>advocates are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require
the
>>caffeine content of foods to be declared on labels.
>>
>>"Caffeine is the only drug that is widely added to the food supply,"
said
>>Michael Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, at a press conference in
>>Washington, D.C., "and consumers have a right to know how much
caffeine
>>various foods contain. Knowing the caffeine content is important to
many
>>people -- especially women who are or might become pregnant -- who
might
>>want to limit or avoid caffeine."
>>
>>The amount of caffeine varies widely among brands. For instance, a cup
of
>>Dannon Coffee Yogurt has as much caffeine as a 12-ounce can of
Coca-Cola,
>>while a Dannon Light Cappuccino Yogurt has no caffeine. Sunkist Orange
Soda
>>has more caffeine than a Pepsi, while Minute Maid Orange Soda has
none. A
>>cup of Starbuck's Coffee Ice Cream has as much caffeine as half a cup
of
>>instant coffee, while some other brands are virtually caffeine free.
>>
>>"Americans should be mindful about their caffeine consumption.
Drinking the
>>caffeine equivalent of several cups of coffee a day can lead to
insomnia,
>>anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Ceasing the consumption of
caffeine
>>often leads to withdrawal symptoms, such as headache and fatigue,"
said
>>Roland Griffiths, professor in the department of psychiatry and
behavioral
>>sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Caffeine
is a
>>mildly addictive drug, and parents might wish to limit their
children's
>>consumption of it."
>>
>>Spurred by legal action by CSPI in the 1970s, the FDA issued an
advisory in
>>1981 warning that "Pregnant women should avoid caffeine-containing
foods
>>and drugs, if possible, or consume them only sparingly." The FDA still
>>maintains that advisory as its official policy.
>>
>>"Unfortunately, food labels do not provide women with the information
they
>>need to put the FDA's advice into practice," said Patricia Lieberman,
CSPI
>>senior science policy fellow.
>>
>>"Caffeine is present in an increasing variety of coffee and tea
beverages,
>>soft drinks, caffeinated waters, ice creams, and yogurts. It's usually
>>impossible for consumers to estimate caffeine content based on a
product's
>>name or other label information."
>>
>>Joining CSPI in support of the petition were 34 scientists and ten
health
>>and consumer groups. The supporters include prominent scientists from
Johns
>>Hopkins, Yale, Harvard, Duke, University of Michigan, University of
>>California (Berkeley), and other universities, as well as the
Association
>>of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors, National
>>Women's Health Network, Boston Women's Health Book Collective, and
Society
>>for Nutrition Education. John Hughes, of the University of Vermont's
>>department of psychiatry, organized a coalition of scientists
concerned
>>about caffeine to ask the FDA to require caffeine labeling.
>>
>>Separately, the American Medical Association recently called on the
FDA to
>>require caffeine-content labeling of foods that contain added
caffeine.
>>
>>"Consumers may not realize that some of their health problems could be
due
>>to caffeine," said Lieberman. "For instance, caffeine leads to
increased
>>risk of infertility, miscarriage, and impaired fetal growth. Caffeine
also
>>affects bone health, exacerbating the low calcium intake of women and
>>teenagers and increasing the risk of osteoporosis."
>>
>>Because caffeine is an added ingredient in soft drinks and caffeinated
>>water, caffeine must be included in ingredient lists. But the labels
do not
>>have to disclose how much caffeine those foods contain. Neither the
>>presence nor amount of caffeine is indicated on most labels of tea,
coffee,
>>and foods made with those beverages, such as ice cream and yogurt.
Caffeine
>>levels can vary widely:
>>
>>?Ben & Jerry's No Fat Coffee Fudge Frozen Yogurt has 85 mg of caffeine
per
>>cup -- the amount in five ounces of coffee -- while Healthy Choice's
>>Cappuccino Mocha Fudge Low-Fat Ice Cream has only 8 mg per cup.
>>
>>?The caffeine content of 12-ounce soft drinks varies from Josta (58
mg),
>>Mountain Dew (55 mg), Surge (51 mg), Coca-Cola (45 mg), Sunkist Orange
Soda
>>(40 mg), and Barqs Root Beer (23 mg), to none in Minute Maid Orange
Soda or
>>Mug Root Beer.
>>
>>?An 8 oz. cup of brewed coffee contains 135 mg of caffeine, while a
cup of
>>instant coffee contains 95 mg. General Foods International Coffees
range
>>from 26 to 102 mg per cup.
>>
>>"Many children," Lieberman said, "consume large quantities of
empty-calorie
>>soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages in place of fruit juice,
which
>>may help reduce the risk of cancer, or 1% or skim milk, which may help
>>reduce the risk of osteoporosis. U.S. Department of Agriculture data
show
>>that teenage boys drink twice as much soda as milk. Teenage girls
drink 50
>>percent more soda than milk."
>>
>>"This all comes down to the consumer's right to know," said Lisa Cox,
>>program and policies director at the National Women's Health Network.
"When
>>a food contains an ingredient linked to health problems, labels should
>>disclose to shoppers the amount of that ingredient."
>>
>>CSPI's petition also asks the FDA to study the effects of caffeine on
human
>>health to determine whether it should require warning labels or other
>>measures to protect the public.
>>
>>CSPI, a nonprofit health-advocacy organization, was founded in 1971.
CSPI
>>is supported largely by the one million subscribers to its Nutrition
Action
>>Healthletter. The organization is well-known for obtaining nutrition
>>labeling on all packaged foods and for its nutritional studies of
>>restaurant foods.
>>Fran Cronin, Ph.D. R.D.
>>Nutrition Analyst/Consultant
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
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