Frequently Asked Questions

This site is designed to empower consumers with credible, science-based information about common ingredients found in beverages – including what they are, what they do and the safety assessments of food safety agencies in the United States, Europe and Canada. There are many resources available that provide perspectives or recommendations. That’s not what we do.

This site is meant to be a good start to help you make the best decision for you and your family.

This site was created by American Beverage, which represents the nation’s leading non-alcoholic beverage companies. The information on this website is informed by publicly available science from leading global health authorities.

No. This site does not promote any specific ingredients; it presents information from food safety agencies. It’s just the facts – straight from the experts so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

Rather than spotlighting individual studies, we rely on the rigorous scientific reviews conducted by leading food safety agencies around the world. These agencies evaluate the totality of available evidence when making safety decisions. This means that their comprehensive assessments consider the full scope of science, and account for all available studies including any single study of relevance. Agencies re-evaluate an ingredient when new evidence emerges and provide updates when necessary.  On this site, both safety assessments and other authoritative reflections have been compiled for easy reference.

We include only the reviews conducted by scientific or regulatory food safety authorities – including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and Health Canada. The links on each page will take you directly to their assessments so you can see for yourself the research, studies and evidence they reviewed to make their determinations.

These four agencies – FDA (U.S.), EFSA (Europe), JECFA and Health Canada – collectively can inform international consensus on ingredient safety. They are known for their rigorous, evidence-based evaluations of food and beverage ingredients.

Additional international food safety authorities may be added to the index as information becomes available.

We include ingredient authorization status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and Health Canada because they are widely respected science-based bodies with rigorous safety standards and global influence. They represent North American, European and international consensus.

Additional international food safety authorities may be added to the index as information becomes available.

The site features more than a hundred common non-alcoholic beverage ingredients found on our labels in the United States. This includes sweeteners, colors, preservatives and other additives. Ingredients were selected based on frequency of use and public interest.

We’re continuously updating this website. If you don’t see a specific ingredient listed, visit the homepage and use the “Can’t find what you’re looking for?” tool. We welcome your feedback and will work to get you the facts.

These ingredients were never used prominently in beverages and are no longer used in new beverage formulations made by out member companies.

Consumers everywhere should be reassured that the ingredients in their beverages are safe. Leading food safety authorities like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and government health agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) undertake safety reviews that include the totality of the scientific evidence available for the ingredients used in non-alcoholic beverages. These agencies conduct—or require to be conducted—rigorous safety assessments to ensure that ingredients are safe when consumed as intended.

Food manufacturers are responsible for marketing safe foods. Ingredients added directly to food must satisfy the safety standard set by the food safety authority.

In the United States, the FDA’s safety standard is defined as “a reasonable certainty of no harm under the conditions of intended use.”

The Bottom Line reflects authorizations in markets that have been reviewed for and included in this registry – the United States, Europe and Canada.

Food safety authorities like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reevaluate ingredients on an ongoing basis as new science emerges. This ongoing review process means that only ingredients that continue to meet the safety standard remain in use.

Each ingredient page links to or summarizes scientific reviews and or global regulatory decisions confirming its safety. We rely on data from trusted authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and Health Canada.

Differences in product formulations by country often reflect different consumer preferences, not safety concerns. Importantly, the lack of an authorization in another country does not mean an ingredient is banned. It could simply suggest authorization has not been sought.

Caffeine is safe for most adults when consumed in moderation. That’s the conclusion of health authorities worldwide, including the FDA, EFSA and Health Canada. American Beverage members voluntarily place advisory labels not because caffeine is unsafe, but to help consumers make informed decisions, particularly for sensitive groups like children, pregnant women or caffeine sensitive individuals. Aside from this, labeling requirements vary across jurisdictions due to differences in regulatory frameworks.

Leading food safety bodies worldwide continue to reaffirm the safety of aspartame. However, on-product labels must include a science-based statement like “contains phenylalanine.” This ensures consumers with phenylketonuria – who are unable to properly process the essential amino acid phenylalanine – can make informed decisions about the foods they eat and the beverages they drink.

This registry includes the safety information and authorization from food safety authorities. Marketed foods and beverages must comply with local labeling regulations.

Amounts used in beverages have been shown to be safe and authorized for its intended use. Exact quantities of ingredients are proprietary and can vary by brand and product.

Some ingredients are known by more than one name. For example, Ascorbic Acid is Vitamin C. We include both to help visitors recognize ingredients they may know by different names.  This tool is intended to share the facts and the science on these ingredients. For any labeling questions, please refer to FDA.gov/food or the relevant market labeling requirements.

The different authorizations allow for different conditions of use. For example, with beta-carotene, the different authorizations correspond to two different uses – FDA has “approved” its use as a color and FDA has “affirmed” that it is generally recognized as safe for broader use.