Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.6.4 - Formulated Caffeinated Beverages

Administered by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Legislation au F2008B00793 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Standard 2.6.4

 

Formulated Caffeinated Beverages

 

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of this Standard is to regulate non-alcoholic water-based flavoured formulated caffeinated beverages that are manufactured for the purpose of enhancing mental performance.

 

Table of Provisions

 

1 Interpretation

2 Composition

3 Labelling

 

1 Interpretation

 

In this Standard –

 

caffeine means all caffeine present from whatever source in a formulated caffeinated beverage.

 

formulated caffeinated beverage means a non-alcoholic water-based flavoured beverage which contains caffeine and may contain carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins and other substances, including other foods, for the purpose of enhancing mental performance.

 

one day quantity in relation to formulated caffeinated beverage, means the maximum amount of that food that should be consumed in one day in accordance with the directions specified in the label.

 

2 Composition

 

(1) A formulated caffeinated beverage must contain no less than 145 mg/L and no more than 320 mg/L of caffeine.

 

Editorial note:

 

See Standard 1.3.1 – Food Additives for the limits for food additives, other than caffeine, in formulated caffeinated beverages.

 

(2) A formulated caffeinated beverage may contain the substances listed in column 1 of the Table to this subclause, provided the amount of that substance present in the food is no more than the amount specified in relation to that substance in column 2 of the Table.

 

Table to subclause 2(2)

 

Column 1

Column 2

Substance

Maximum amount per one-day quantity

Thiamin

40 mg

Riboflavin

20 mg

Niacin

40 mg

Vitamin B6

10 mg

Vitamin B12

10 µg

Pantothenic acid

10 mg

Taurine

2000 mg

Glucuronolactone

1200 mg

Inositol

100 mg

(3) A formulated caffeinated beverage must not be mixed with a non-alcoholic beverage as standardised under Standard 2.6.2.

 

Editorial note:

 

Other foods such as herbal substances may be added to formulated caffeinated beverages unless this is proscribed elsewhere in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

 

Standard 1.4.4 regulates prohibited and restricted plants and fungi, and Standard 1.3.1 regulates food additives.

 

3 Labelling

 

(1) The label on a package of formulated caffeinated beverage must include declarations of the average quantities, per serving size and per 100 mL of –

 

(a) caffeine, expressed in milligrams; and

(b) the substances listed in column 1 of the Table to subclause 2(2), where present, expressed in the units included in column 2 of the Table.

 

(2) The declarations under subclause 3(1) may be adjacent to or follow a nutrition information panel on the label of a package of formulated caffeinated beverage, provided that the declarations are clearly distinguished from the nutrition information required by Standard 1.2.8.

 

Editorial note:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An example of the placement of the declarations required under subclause 3(1) adjacent to or following a nutrition information panel as permitted under subclause 3(2) is set out below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Servings per package: (insert number of servings)

Serving size: 250 mL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quantity per Serving

Quantity per       100 mL

 

 

Energy

kJ (Cal)

kJ (Cal)

 

 

Protein

g

g

 

 

Fat, total

        saturated

g

g

g

g

 

 

Carbohydrate, total

         sugars

g

g

g

g

 

 

Sodium

mg (mmol)

mg (mmol)

 

 

COMPOSITION INFORMATION

 

 

Caffeine

mg

mg

 

 

Thiamin

mg

mg

 

 

Riboflavin

mg

mg

 

 

Niacin

mg

mg

 

 

Vitamin B6

mg

mg

 

 

Vitamin B12

µg

µg

 

 

Pantothenic acid

mg

mg

 

 

Taurine

mg

mg

 

 

Glucuronolactone

mg

mg

 

 

Inositol

mg

mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) The label on a package of formulated caffeinated beverage must include advisory statements to the effect that –

 

(a) the food contains caffeine; and

(b) the food is not recommended for –

(i) children; and

(ii) pregnant or lactating women; and

(iii) individuals sensitive to caffeine.

 

(4) The label on a package of formulated caffeinated beverage that contains one or more of the substances in the Table to subclause 2(2) must include an advisory statement to the effect that

 

 ‘Consume no more than [amount of one-day quantity (as cans, bottles or mL )] per day’.

 

(5) Where a formulated caffeinated beverage is not required to bear a label pursuant to clause 2 of Standard 1.2.1, the advisory statements under subclauses 3(3) and 3(4) must be

 

(a) displayed on or in connection with the display of the food; or

(b) provided to the purchaser on request.

 

Editorial note:

 

The advised one-day quantity is calculated from the permissions in the Table to subclause 2(2) as it relates to the concentration of substances in the product.  The substance that yields the lowest equivalent amount will determine the advised consumption limit. 

 

For example:

 

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Product X formulation

Concentration (mg/L)

Maximum permitted one-day quantity (refer to Table to subclause 2(2))

Equivalent amount of product X (mL)

Riboflavin

30

20

666

Niacin

80

40

500

Pantothenic acid

15

10

666

Taurine

2000

2000

1000

 

The equivalent amount in Column 4 is calculated as  Column 3 x 1000
            Column 2

 

In this example niacin presents as the most limiting substance, and therefore, the advised consumption limit for product X would be 500 mL.  If product X is packaged in 250 mL cans, the advised consumption limit may also be expressed as ‘two cans’ – for example –

 

consume no more than 500 mL per day’ or ‘consume no more than two cans per day’.

 

(7) The label on a package of formulated caffeinated beverage must not include declarations of the quantities of vitamins present in the food expressed as a proportion or multiple of the

 

(a) Recommended Dietary Intakes; or

(b) Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes;

 

of that vitamin.


 

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Overview

The Standard 2.6.4 Formulated Caffeinated Beverages, enacted in 2008, was introduced to regulate non-alcoholic water-based flavoured formulated caffeinated beverages intended to enhance mental performance. This Standard was formulated by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to address the need for a clear regulatory framework governing the composition and labelling of such beverages. The policy objective is to ensure consumer safety and provide adequate information about the content and potential risks associated with these beverages, particularly concerning caffeine and other ingredients. The Standard sets specific limits on caffeine content, allows for certain substances that may be included in the beverages, and mandates detailed labelling requirements to inform consumers about the presence of caffeine and other ingredients, as well as the recommended daily consumption limits.

Scope and Application

The formulated caffeinated beverage standard applies to non-alcoholic water-based flavoured beverages that contain caffeine and may contain other substances such as carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, and other food substances intended to enhance mental performance. The standard specifies the permissible caffeine content, which must be between 145 mg/L and 320 mg/L, and regulates the inclusion of specific substances, such as vitamins and amino acids, within specified limits. It mandates that these beverages must not be mixed with other non-alcoholic beverages as defined under a separate standard. The standard also imposes labelling requirements, including the declaration of average quantities of caffeine and other specified substances per serving size and per 100 mL, along with advisory statements regarding caffeine content, and recommended consumer groups to avoid the beverage. This standard applies nationally across Australia, as it is part of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, and it extends its reach through subordinate instruments that may further detail specific compliance measures or updates to the standard. There are no exclusions or exemptions explicitly stated within this particular standard, though other regulations may apply, such as those concerning prohibited and restricted plants and fungi or food additives.

Key Provisions

This Standard, detailed in F2008B00793, establishes the requirements for formulated caffeinated beverages, specifically those non-alcoholic water-based flavoured beverages containing caffeine for mental performance enhancement. Section 2 details the composition requirements, mandating that these beverages must contain between 145 mg/L and 320 mg/L of caffeine (2(1)). It also specifies that other substances such as carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, and other foods can be included, but only up to the specified maximum amounts listed in a provided table (2(2)). Importantly, these beverages must not be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages as defined under Standard 2.6.2 (2(3)). Compliance with this Standard imposes several obligations on manufacturers. Firstly, they must ensure that their products meet the specified caffeine concentration range. Secondly, they need to adhere to the maximum permissible levels of substances listed in the table, such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, taurine, glucuronolactone, and inositol. Additionally, manufacturers are required to label their products accurately, including the average quantities of caffeine and other substances per serving size and per 100 mL on the label (3(1)). The label must also include advisory statements about the caffeine content and recommend against consumption by children, pregnant or lactating women, and individuals sensitive to caffeine (3(3)). If the product contains substances listed in the table, the label must advise the maximum daily consumption limit based on the lowest permissible substance concentration (3(4)). Failure to comply with this Standard can lead to various legal consequences. While the specific offences and penalties are not detailed within the excerpt, non-compliance generally could result in actions such as product recalls, fines, or other enforcement actions by relevant authorities. Given the nature of food standards, breaches could also lead to civil liability for any harm caused by non-compliance, in addition to any criminal penalties prescribed by other related legislation. The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the breach and the specific provisions of other applicable laws.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.