Monster Energy Drinks Being Recalled in Canada

Monster energy drinks for sale at a convenience store in Midtown, Manhattan in a file photo. Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has recalled Monster brand energy drinks due to improper labelling and excessive levels of caffeine in the drinks.

“The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace due to various non-compliances related to caffeine content and labelling requirements,” the CFIA said in a statement on Aug. 11.

“The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. The CFIA is verifying that the industry is removing recalled products from the marketplace.”

The agency said the recall would impact all Monster products that contain caffeine and do not have both English and French labelling. It advised Canadians not to consume, serve or distribute the recalled products, and encouraged the drinks to be “thrown out or returned where purchased.”

The CFIA noted there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of the specific Monster products.

In July, CFIA also announced it would be recalling six brands of energy drinks for non-compliance related to the caffeine content and labelling requirements: Prime, 3D Alphaland, 5 Hour, Celsius, GFuel, and Sting.

According to Health Canada spokesperson Marie-Pier Burelle, energy drinks in Canada must not contain more than 180 mg of caffeine in a single-serving container and require cautionary statements to protect sensitive sub-populations, including children.

She told The Epoch Times that Prime Energy exceeded the acceptable caffeine limit, and “as a result, it should not be sold in Canada.” South of the border, the United States Food and Drug Agency has been encouraged to investigate Prime Energy.

Research has shown that caffeinated energy drinks can have negative impacts on young people, with one review of recent research showing caffeine intoxication can potentially result in tachycardia, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, and even death.