TORONTO - Non-cola soft drinks could soon be spiked with an eye-opening ingredient -- the caffeine that's already added to colas.
Health Canada announced Friday it is authorizing the use of caffeine as a food additive in all carbonated soft drinks, not just cola-type beverages.
Beverage companies will be allowed to add synthetic caffeine to non-cola soft drinks in concentrations no higher than 150 parts per million. The maximum amount of caffeine allowed in colas is 200 parts per million.
Similar levels of caffeine are currently allowed in non-cola soft drinks outside Canada, including the United States and Europe.
Health Canada said an extensive scientific review determined that 150 parts per million poses no health risk as long as consumers don't exceed the recommended maximum daily intake of caffeine.
While small amounts of caffeine are not usually a concern, overconsumption can cause insomnia, headaches, irritability, dehydration and nervousness, said Health Canada, which advises healthy adults to limit total daily caffeine intake to 400 milligrams -- the equivalent of three 250-millilitre cups of coffee.
However, the advice differs for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Pregnant women who consume too much caffeine have a higher risk of miscarriage and low-birthweight infants. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and women planning to become pregnant should ingest no more than 300 mg of caffeine per day.
Recommended daily maximums for children are based on average body weight: aged four to six, 45 mg; aged seven to nine, 62.5 mg; ages 10 to 12, 85 mg. These amounts are equivalent to about one to two 355-ml cans of cola per day.
Insufficient data has prevented Health Canada from developing a definitive maximum for adolescents, but it suggests that daily caffeine intake should not exceed 2.5 mg/kg body weight.
The federal department is asking manufacturers to voluntarily list total caffeine content on all products and to identify the ingredient on the front of packages of newly caffeinated beverages.
"Health Canada is currently urging industry to proactively indicate this information on product labels to provide Canadians with the tools they need to make informed decisions and to manage their caffeine consumption," spokesman Stephane Shank said by email.
"Should we determine that stronger action is necessary to help Canadians make informed decisions, the department will look at other options, such as regulatory changes."
