The FDA has added caffeine labeling to its 2026 priorities and is weighing draft guidance to make caffeine milligram disclosures clearer on packaged drinks. Current rules require labeling only when caffeine is an added ingredient, so many products do not list exact milligrams. The move follows lawsuits, investigations and a rise in pediatric exposure to energy drinks; any guidance would be nonbinding and could take months or years to appear.
FDA Eyes Clearer Caffeine Labels — What That Could Mean for Your Coffee, Soda and Energy Drinks
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added caffeine labeling to its 2026 regulatory priorities, signaling that the agency is considering draft guidance to make caffeine disclosures clearer for consumers. While any guidance would be nonbinding, the move reflects growing concern about high-caffeine products and recent legal and public-health scrutiny.
Why the change matters
Under current federal rules, manufacturers must list caffeine only when it is added as a standalone ingredient. Naturally occurring caffeine (for example, in coffee or chocolate) does not have to be called out separately, and companies are not required to state the actual milligrams of caffeine per serving. That makes it difficult for consumers to compare products and judge their own intake.
High-profile cases and safety signals
The agency's review follows lawsuits, investigations and rising reports of pediatric exposure to highly caffeinated beverages. In Texas, the state attorney general opened an investigation into Celsius Holdings after the death of 17-year-old Larissa Rodriguez; a medical examiner cited cardiomyopathy tied to excessive caffeine as a factor. Rodriguez had reportedly been drinking about one can a day of Alani Nu, a Celsius-owned brand, and a 12-ounce can lists 200 milligrams of caffeine — twice the 100-milligram daily limit the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for teenagers.
Retailers have also responded to litigation and safety concerns. Panera Bread discontinued its Charged Lemonade (a 30-ounce serving contained up to 390 milligrams of caffeine) after the drink was linked to at least two wrongful-death lawsuits. Panera and manufacturers such as Celsius have publicly defended their labeling and product safety, noting that some cans already disclose caffeine amounts and include age and sensitivity warnings.
What experts recommend
Health organizations offer general intake limits to reduce risk: the FDA advises healthy adults to limit caffeine to about 400 milligrams per day; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant and breastfeeding people keep intake under 200 milligrams per day; the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for young children and recommends no more than 100 milligrams per day for teenagers.
Data from America's Poison Control Centers show calls about pediatric exposure to energy drinks rose 24.2% from 2022 to 2023, with children ages 6–12 experiencing the largest proportional increase in cases.
What an FDA guidance would (and would not) do
FDA guidance documents represent the agency's "current thinking" and are intended to advise industry rather than create legally enforceable rules. If the agency issues draft guidance on caffeine labeling, it could encourage manufacturers to list milligrams of caffeine per serving and provide clearer warnings — but any formal change could take months or years and would remain advisory unless adopted into law or regulation.
Practical advice for consumers
Until any new guidance arrives, consumers can reduce risk by reading available label information, checking manufacturers' websites for caffeine amounts, monitoring portion sizes, limiting intake according to age and health status, and keeping high-caffeine drinks away from young children.
Members of the public can follow FDA announcements and submit comments through the agency's website.
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