Sharjah restaurants banned from mixing energy drinks with foods or juices

Restaurant and cafeteria owners have been warned not to mix energy drinks with foods or juices.

Sheikha Rasha Al Qassimi, assistant director general for public health and central laboratories at Sharjah Municipality, said a notification was sent to all food outlets stating that adding high-caffeine drinks to food or juices is prohibited.

Restaurants and cafeterias have been given a two-week deadline to comply, after which time the municipality will start inspections and fine violators.

Sheikha Al Qassimi explained that mixing methods used by these businesses makes it hard to estimate the quantity of energy drinks used, which impacts the health of customers. Furthermore, children under 16 are prohibited from buying energy drinks, reported Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National.