Caffeine and Alcohol

Last week, the FDA announced findings that alcoholic energy drinks containing high of amounts caffeine and malt liquor were unsafe and issued warnings to the producers of such beverages. Monday, the Kansas Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC) division announced that alcoholic energy drinks such as Four Loko, are banned and should be removed from shelves.

Kansas Statute Annotated 41-210 states the Director of the Kansas Alcohol and Beverage Control "...shall have broad discretionary powers to govern the traffic in alcoholic liquors and to enforce strictly all the provisions of this act in the interest of sanitation, purity of products, truthful representation and honest dealings in such manner as generally will promote the public health and welfare. All valid rules and regulations adopted under the provisions of this act shall be absolutely binding upon all licensees and enforceable by the director of alcoholic beverage control through the power of suspension or revocation of licenses."

Four other states have issued similar bans: Michigan, Utah, Oklahoma and Washington.

Letter from Thomas W. Groneman, Director of Alcohol and Beverage Control, directing liquor stores to remove caffeinated alcoholic beverages:

http://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/AlchEnergyRescind.pdf

Press release from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding caffeinated energy drinks:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm234109.htm

More information on caffeinated malt beverages from the FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/ucm190366.htm

The brands included in the FDA's warning:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/ucm233755.htm#core

Fact sheet from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on the dangers of mixing energy drinks and alcohol:
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/cab.htm

News related to alcoholic energy drinks:

CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/17/alcohol.caffeine.drinks/index.html?iref=allsearch

New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/us/27drink.html

Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/health/os-caffeine-alcohol-mix-20101118,0,277094.story

The Wichita Eagle:
http://www.kansas.com/2010/11/22/1600064/state-bans-four-loko-other-caffeinated.html#storylink=omni_popular

The Kansas City Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/22/2463028/kansas-announces-immediate-ban.html

Article contact: Kim Harp

Current Salmonella Outbreak

Recent salmonella outbreaks across the country have Americans looking at food safety nationally and locally. The sites below offer information on the current outbreak and ways that government agencies are addressing it. Also included are a few sites with information on food safety in the home.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about the Recent Salmonella Outbreak
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph/faq.html
(U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Recalls.Gov
http://www.recalls.gov/food.html
(Information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug
Administration on recalled products)

Recall of Peanut-Containing Products: Salmonella Typhimurium
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html
(Up to date news from the Food and Drug Administration on the recall
of food products linked to possible salmonella poisoning)

Investigation Information for Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium
Infections, 2008–2009
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium/
(U.S. Centers for Disease Control)

General Information on Salmonella from the Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/

Peanut Butter and other Peanut Containing Products Recall List
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm
(U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration)

KANSAS RESOURCES

Food Safety Programs at the Kansas Department of Agriculture
http://www.ksda.gov/food_safety/content/326

News from the Kansas Department of Agriculture
http://www.ksda.gov/food_safety/news/id/235

Food Safety Network
http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/
(Kansas State University)

Outbreak Final Investigation Reports
http://www.kdheks.gov/epi/outbreaks.htm
(Investigations of possible problems by the Kansas Office of Surveillance & Epidemiology)

Focus on Food Safety
http://www.kdheks.gov/fofs/index.html
(Kansas Department of Health and Environment)

VIEW HOLDINGS IN THE STATE LIBRARY'S ATLAS CATALOG ON THIS TOPIC
http://topekalibraries.info/search/dsalmonella
(Online library catalog shared with Washburn University, the Kansas Supreme Court Law Library, the Brown V. Board National Historic Site and the Kansas State Historical Society)