Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act
HB2511, the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, would add new federal labeling and disclosure requirements for caffeine in foods, beverages, dietary supplements, and certain restaurant menu items. For chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations, the bill would require disclosure of caffeine information for standard menu items and certain temporary menu items, including a “High caffeine” statement or similar symbol for items with added caffeine and at least 150 milligrams of total caffeine per serving. It would also require menu disclosures of the number of milligrams of caffeine in the item.
For packaged foods and dietary supplements containing more than 10 milligrams of caffeine, the bill would require labels to state the amount of caffeine, whether it is naturally occurring or added, and an advisory statement that the daily recommended limit for healthy adults is 400 milligrams unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services sets a different limit. The bill also directs FDA and NIH to conduct reviews of caffeine safety, including its status as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), the safety of added caffeine and stimulant blends, and the effects on vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with heart conditions, seizure disorders, mental health conditions, and caffeine-sensitive individuals. In addition, it authorizes $2 million total for these reviews, requires a public education campaign on caffeine safety, and orders a GAO study of how caffeinated beverages are marketed, especially to children and teens.
The bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to create new federal labeling obligations for caffeine-containing foods, beverages, dietary supplements, and menu items, and would expand FDA oversight of caffeine-related safety and disclosure practices. It would also trigger formal federal reviews by FDA and NIH, potentially influencing future rulemaking, GRAS determinations, and updated regulations on caffeine and stimulant blends. Restaurants, food manufacturers, supplement makers, and marketers of caffeinated products would be the primary affected parties.
Based on the bill text and its introduction by a bipartisan group of House members, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer-safety and public-health bill rather than a partisan policy change. The overall tone is precautionary, emphasizing transparency, youth protection, and risks to vulnerable populations. No committee transcript or vote record is available here, so there is no recorded floor or committee sentiment beyond the bill’s safety-focused framing and broad introductory support.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be the scope and burden of the new labeling requirements, especially for restaurants and packaged-food companies, and the bill’s treatment of caffeine as a substance needing stronger federal scrutiny. Industry stakeholders may object to the added compliance costs, the 150-milligram “high caffeine” threshold, and the requirement to identify whether caffeine is naturally occurring or added. Another likely area of debate is the FDA/NIH review of whether caffeine should remain considered GRAS for healthy populations and how to regulate stimulant blends, guarana, taurine, and marketing practices aimed at children and teens.