Update: New caffeine rules approved (FSANZ proposal P1056)
On 10 March 2026, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Board approved changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) introducing new rules for caffeine and guarana extract. Businesses will have two years from the gazettal date to comply with the new caffeine rules.
Key changes
- Prohibition on retail sale of caffeine as a food.
- Caffeine (from any source) cannot be added to food, except for where the Code specifically permits it.
- The retail sale of guarana extract with high caffeine concentrations will be restricted.
- Packaged coffee beverages that contain high levels of caffeine must declare caffeine per serve and include an advisory statement.
- Caffeine will be permitted in formulated supplementary sports foods up to a maximum one-day quantity of 200 mg, and with concentration limits for liquid and powdered forms. New labelling and packaging requirements apply.
What stays the same
- Existing permissions for caffeine in energy drinks and cola remain unchanged.
- Foods that contain caffeine naturally (e.g. coffee or tea) can still be added to food.
- Novel food rules continue to apply. A food that contains caffeine naturally may still require a pre-market safety assessment if it is a novel food.
Further information on the new requirements for caffeine and guarana extracts in food can be found linked here.
New caffeine rules and supplemented food
MPI is considering the implications of Proposal P1056 for supplemented food.
For the duration of the two-year transition period, supplemented foods can continue to comply with the pre-existing requirements. Guidance on the changes to the regulation of caffeine will be made available in due course.
