Caffeine as an Ingredient in Sugar Sweetened Beverages - Caffeine: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects - page 29

Table 1 Caffeine content in selected SSB.

Drink Amount of Caffeine (mg)

Coca Cola 1 (375 mL) 33.9 ¡ 0.9

Diet Coke (375 mL) 46.3 ¡ 1.7

d n 0 t 2 n g | 2

Coke Zero (375 mL) 35.8 ¡ 2.6

Pepsi 1 (375 mL) 38.9 ¡ 1.0

Diet Pepsi (375 mL) 36.7 ¡ 0.6

Pepsi One (375 mL) 57.1 ¡ 3.3

This table details the caffeine content of commonly available cola beverages. Adapted from Chou
and Bell (2007)

2.5 Caffeine in Sugar Sweetened Beverages
Caffeine is found naturally in coffee, cocoa (chocolate), and black teas, and its
stimulant effect in these foods has been known for hundreds of years. Caffeine
is now included as an ingredient in a wider variety of beverages due to its use as
a food additive, and SSB and energy-drinks often contain caffeine in their
formulation. Caffeine is recognized by the American Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) as being a multipurpose Generally Recognized As
Safe (GRAS) food substance. Variation exists in permissibility of the use of
caffeine in beverages internationally with countries differing in both the
allowable concentration of caffeine and the beverages in which it can be added.
In the US, the permissible limit of caffeine in cola-type beverages is 200 mg L -1 ,
whereas the Australian Food Standards Code restricts the addition of caffeine
to cola type SSB and related beverages to less than 145 mg kg -1 (approximately
54.5 mg per 375 mL) (FSANZ 2008). The level of caffeine found in common
SSB is described in Table 1.

2.6 SSB Consumption
The analysis of the American NHANES surveys suggests that SSB
consumption has tripled over the last thirty years (1971-1994) (Troiano et al
2000) and SSB now provide 33% of added sugars in their diets (Troiano et al
2000). Mean annual consumption of SSB in the US is estimated to be 1.2
drinks per person, per day adding 800 kJ per day. The amount children and
adolescents consume is thought to be higher, averaging 2 drinks and adding
1470 kJ per day (Nestle 2000). Similar increases have also been observed in
Australia with intakes doubling over a 30 year period with figures suggesting
increases from 47 L per person per year in 1969, to 119 L per person per year in
1999 (Statistics 1998). Similarly, the contribution of free-sugars from SSB has
doubled between the 1985 and 1995 national surveys. As the consumption of
one standard serving of SSB adds 630 kJ and 42 grams of sugar, it is no
surprise to discover that regular consumers have higher energy intakes (up