On November 17, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to four manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, warning these companies that the addition of caffeine to their alcoholic beverages had not been approved by the FDA, making it an “unsafe food additive.” Since these letters, each notified company has taken significant action while working with the FDA.
Phusion Projects, maker of the product Four Loko, has ceased production of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, is no longer shipping such products, and expects to have all of its caffeinated alcoholic beverages off retail store shelves by December 13. United Brands stopped shipping its caffeinated alcoholic beverage Joose and, similarly, expects to have its product off retail store shelves by December 13. Additionally, the company no longer markets its Max product. Charge Beverages ceased producing its beverages Core High Gravity HG, Core High Gravity HG Orange and Lemon Lime Core Spiked in September and has not shipped any caffeinated alcoholic beverages since early November, and the company New Century Brewing also has ceased manufacturing its caffeinated alcoholic beverage, Moonshot.
