Energy drinks come under scrutiny

The Dubai Municipality is strictly monitoring energy drinks to ensure their safety and quality, the civic body said on Wednesday.

The Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) under the municipality verifies the quality and safety of energy drinks, confirming their compliance with approved UAE specifications, said Head of DCL, Hawa Bastaki.

Latest technology is used to test the samples of energy drinks

As per the standard specifications, Hawa said energy drinks are known as soft drinks prepared by using pure drinking water in addition to carbohydrates such as sugar, glucose, fructose, caffeine, vitamins, amino acids and herbal extracts to give flavour and fragrance.

Maha Al Hajri, head of Food and Environment Laboratory that tests energy drinks, said that the lab uses the latest technology and equipment for the process of examining samples of energy drinks chemically. Through these tests, the percentage of caffeine, artificial colours, preservatives, sweeteners, natural and industrial remnants and alcohol in energy drinks can be detected.

“The section also undertakes periodic checks on energy drinks like counting total bacteria, coliform bacteria, fecal matter, yeasts and fungi to ensure consumer safety,” Hajri said.

As reported by Khaleej Times last year, the UAE has banned the sale of energy drinks for children under 16, pregnant women, people sensitive to caffeine and diabetic patients. Manufacturing companies were also asked to enhance health warnings on the products as part of new health guidelines on the sale and display of these drinks.

The new regulations were being drafted by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), the federal agency in charge of conformity and standards of products.

The Dubai Municipality worked with Esma to finalise the specifications for labeling, testing, control measures like monitoring companies, and trading regulations.

The Municipality’s Food Control Department is in charge of ensuring that there are enough notices in food premises to warn consumers about the health risks of certain energy drinks, which should also be made clear on the labels.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com