New York Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate deeper into a new product that's hitting the grocery shelves — caffeinated peanut butter.
In his press release issued last Sunday, Schumer expressed his concern over caffeinated food items, singling out STEEM Peanut Butter, which has an amount of caffeine equivalent to that of two cups of coffee for each serving.
Schumer is calling out to the food agency to investigate more into the product, as he is concerned about the risks it may bring to children. In his statement, Schumer also said that he hopes the agency will address the safety of the product and look into its labeling.
Schumer insisted that caffeine, being a powerful stimulant, can cause blood pressure and heart rate to rise when consumed in dangerous amounts. More importantly, an overdose of the stimulant can be fatal.
Meanwhile, STEEM is defending their product, stating that each eight-ounce jar contains 1,200 mg caffeine and one serving has 150mg.
According to the company's website, the peanut butter is a good source of "protein, electrolytes, and caffeine" that can provide "hours of endurance and focus" to its consumers and eliminate "distractions like hunger and fatigue."
The Massachusetts-based caffeinated peanut butter was launched in early October and has since become popular in stores located in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, Breitbart News noted.
While Schumer continues advocating the regulation of caffeinated products, STEEM told Quartz that the company has fulfilled the required obligations before bringing their products to the shelves.
The company also expressed that it welcomes any investigation by federal agencies to prove that STEEM is "perfectly safe when used as directed."
Furthermore, the company said that marketing caffeinated peanut butter is targeted at the adult population and the product bears the appropriate label stating its caffeine content and serving sizes.
