Canada has launched a crackdown on the popular energy drink
According to Canadian officials, it has too much caffeine.
Canadian health officials are preparing to prevent the sale of Prime Energy, a drink popular in North America, which is actively advertised on social media. There are concerns that the product exceeds the permissible standards of caffeine content. The company that makes Prime Energy has not yet entered the Canadian market with the product. But officials said that some stores may already be selling the energy drink without the proper authorization.
In Canada, beverages cannot contain more than 180 mg of caffeine per serving. Some Prime Energy products contain 200 mg of caffeine.
Prime Energy "contains a comparable amount of caffeine to other top selling energy drinks, all falling within the legal limit of the countries it's sold in," company representatives told the BBC.
It also states on the can of energizer that it is intended for persons 18 years of age or older.
"As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) or any other organisation regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers," added the company representatives in a communication with BBC.
The "Canadian version" of Prime Energy is expected to contain approximately 140 mg of caffeine per can.
In 2022, vloggers Logan Paul and KSI, who together have nearly 50 million YouTube subscribers, launched Prime Hydration, a caffeine-free drink. The company that makes Prime Hydration launched Prime Energy earlier this year. The energy drink quickly became popular as the faces of the brand are popular bloggers, causing lines of people wanting to buy the new energy drink outside US stores.
In Canada health officials have expressed concern that the caffeine content of Prime Energy, for example, is twice the amount of caffeine in a 250-milliliter can of Red Bull.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has taken the situation with Prime Energy's potential distribution in the country under scrutiny, promises to provide a more detailed report soon, and says it will evaluate similar products that may not be compliant.
Studies show that excessive caffeine consumption can cause cardiovascular harm, especially in children and adolescents.
