FDA moves to check sale of banned energy drinks in Indore

INDORE: Soon after Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered an immediate ban on manufacturing, sale, distribution and import of four energy drinks, food safety officers have swung into action to check sale of energy drinks at retail stores across the city. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will also collect samples of energy drinks and send them for lab investigations. Food safety officer, Manish Swami said, "In recent laboratory test, four products that belong to the category of energy drinks were found to have contents not included in approved list of Food Safety and Standards Regulations. The titles of the products were also found to be misleading." 

Swami added, "We will withdraw the products from the markets. Dealers and distributors will be directed to stop distribution of energy drinks." FSSAI recently withdrew No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Monster Energy and Monster Energy Zero products, Tzinga Energy Drink and Cloud 9 energy drinks. 

Scientific panel of FSSAI observed irrational combination of ginseng and caffeine in energy drinks has an 'opposing effect' on the human body. Energy drinks project the rationale for combination of ginseng primarily as flavouring agent, but it is not listed in the approved list of Food Safety and Standards Regulations. Content of the drinks were also not as per the permission granted for manufacturing. 

Of late, energy drinks have been in controversy due to high caffeine content, a strong psycho-stimulant which is marketed as an instant source of energy. Cardiologist, Dr Alkesh Jain said, "High caffeine content can have life-threatening impact on blood pressure, heart and brain functioning." 

A study conducted on energy drinks in 2011 had found that 44% samples of drinks such as Red Bull, Coca-Cola's Burn, Cloud 9, Hector Beverages' Tzinga, Monster Energy Ltd's Monster Ripper and three of JMJ group's XXX energy drink brands—Rejuve, Nicofix and Minus had breached caffeine limits. As of now, India has not declared any standards limiting caffeine content in energy drinks. Food safety researchers have been waiting for concrete regulations to be implemented.