The European Union (EU) recently warned that caffeine is “harmful to humans if swallowed,” labeling it as a potential health risk under new chemical safety regulations. The regulation, which bans caffeine as a pesticide, cites concerns about adverse effects on cardiovascular health, hydration, body temperature, and neurological functions. The warning stems from a request by a French company to use caffeine against insects in crops. Danish MEP Anders Vistisen criticized the EU’s “meddling,” suggesting it could lead to absurd restrictions on coffee consumption and advocating for national choices over bureaucratic interference.
The European Union (EU) has delivered an unexpected caution regarding caffeine, designating it as “harmful to humans if swallowed” according to new chemical safety regulations, as reported by The Telegraph. In a new regulation, the 27-nation bloc has also prohibited the use of caffeine as a pesticide, outlining that the key component of coffee may lead to negative effects on the heart, hydration, and body temperature.
“Caffeine poses adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, hydration, and body temperature in adults, in addition to impacting the central nervous system (sleep, anxiety, behavioral changes) in both adults and children, and presenting risks related to birth weight in pregnant women,” the report notes, referencing scientific findings from the European Food Safety Authority.
The European Commission’s ruling came in response to a request from a French firm, Progarein, which sought permission to utilize the stimulant to protect cabbage and potato crops from insects. However, this has raised concerns that Brussels might eventually aim to regulate coffee, a staple beverage for many Europeans.
In light of this news, Anders Vistisen, a Danish MEP and chief whip of Patriots for Europe, criticized the EU and its officials for their unwarranted ‘interference’.
“More unwelcome and unnecessary intervention from meddlesome bureaucrats in Brussels! Where is this all heading? Are they genuinely going to make us drink decaffeinated coffee? It’s becoming absurd,” commented Mr. Vistisen.
“Nobody considers smoking and whiskey to be healthy, yet they bring joy to many people’s lives,” he added.
Also Read | Car Crash Turns Into Crazy Love Story For Two Strangers In China
The Danish leader recalled the EU’s previous attempt to ban cinnamon rolls due to the presence of coumarin – a compound that is toxic at high levels.
“A few years back, the EU sought to prohibit cinnamon in Danish pastries, and the bakers’ union had to negotiate an exemption. It would be far better for everyone if many of these issues were left to national authority and individual choice,” noted Mr. Vistisen, highlighting the reclassification of Danish pastry as a “traditional” food to circumvent the ban.
While the warning is unlikely to diminish coffee consumption, the regulation’s implementation, particularly concerning caffeine, creates an awkward tension between coffee’s cherished cultural status and Brussels’ regulatory actions.