Are caffeine pouches safe?
A caffeine pouch is a small white pouch of plant fibre placed under the upper lip. The caffeine in it is the same caffeine that is in coffee, and the amount in each pouch is printed on the can.
What is in a caffeine pouch
The 16 caffeine pouches in the nicotine-free range come from four manufacturers: LEWA Of Sweden (LEWA), LUNA Corporate (CAFERO), UAB Global Snus (CAMO) and Microzero (Hicaff). Their ingredient lists are short and overlap heavily.
Ingredient category: Plant fibre What it is: Microcrystalline cellulose, E460. The bulk material that gives the pouch its shape Where it appears on the panels: Every product in the range |
Ingredient category: Water What it is: Carries flavour and caffeine through the fibre Where it appears on the panels: Every product |
Ingredient category: Caffeine What it is: The active ingredient. A stimulant, listed in mg per pouch Where it appears on the panels: Every product: 20, 50, 77, 80 or 100 mg per pouch |
Ingredient category: Flavourings What it is: Mint, citrus, coffee, cola, fruit, liquorice and vanilla notes Where it appears on the panels: Every product |
Ingredient category: Sweeteners What it is: Sucralose (E955), acesulfame K (E950), stevia (E960), xylitol (E967), erythritol (E968), glycyrrhizin (E958) Where it appears on the panels: Every product; which ones varies by brand |
Ingredient category: Humectants What it is: Propylene glycol (E1520) or glycerol (E422). Keep the pouch moist Where it appears on the panels: Every product |
Ingredient category: Salt and pH regulators What it is: Sodium chloride; sodium carbonate (E500), potassium carbonate (E501), ammonium chloride (E510) Where it appears on the panels: Every product |
Ingredient category: Thickener and preservative What it is: Sodium alginate (E401) on Hicaff; potassium sorbate (E202) on CAFERO Where it appears on the panels: Hicaff, CAFERO |
Ingredient category: Vitamins, minerals and extracts What it is: Magnesium, zinc, selenium, vitamins B1, B2, B5 and B12, taurine, and ingredients listed under trade names (magtein, dracobelle, metabolaid) Where it appears on the panels: LEWA BURN, FOCUS, GLOW and POWER only |
Two things are not on any of the 16 lists. None of them names nicotine; every product in the range is nicotine-free, 0 mg. None of them names tobacco. Sugar is not on any list either; the sweetness comes from the sweeteners in the table.
The E-numbers are the same regulatory shorthand you see on food packaging in Ireland and across the EU. E460 is cellulose, the fibre the pouch is made of. E955 is sucralose. E500 is sodium carbonate, which sets the pH of the pouch. None of them is specific to pouches.
How much caffeine is in one pouch
The caffeine figure on the can is per pouch, not per can. The products on 24Nico sit at five levels.
Product: LEWA BURN Citrus Mint Caffeine per pouch: 20 mg Pouches per can: 18 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.6 g Flavour: Citrus and mint |
Product: LEWA FOCUS Cucumber Mint Caffeine per pouch: 20 mg Pouches per can: 18 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.6 g Flavour: Cucumber and mint |
Product: LEWA GLOW Strawberry Vanilla Caffeine per pouch: 20 mg Pouches per can: 18 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.6 g Flavour: Strawberry and vanilla |
Product: LEWA POWER Liquorice Raspberries, Cola Lime, Apple Spruce, Functional Wintermint Caffeine per pouch: 50 mg Pouches per can: 18 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.6 g Flavour: Liquorice and raspberry, cola and lime, apple and spruce, wintermint |
Product: CAMO Bubble Gum, Vanilla Coffee, Iced Mocha Caffeine Caffeine per pouch: 77 mg Pouches per can: 20 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.75 g Flavour: Bubble gum, vanilla coffee, coffee and chocolate |
Product: CAFERO Americano, Cappuccino, Vanilla Latte Caffeine per pouch: 80 mg Pouches per can: 20 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.65 g Flavour: Coffee |
Product: Hicaff Classic Cola, Energy Rush, Fresh Mint Slim Caffeine per pouch: 100 mg Pouches per can: 20 Format and pouch weight: Slim, 0.7 g Flavour: Cola, energy drink and menthol, mint |
Serving: One LEWA BURN, FOCUS or GLOW pouch Caffeine: 20 mg Source: Manufacturer's label |
Serving: One LEWA POWER pouch Caffeine: 50 mg Source: Manufacturer's label |
Serving: One CAMO Caffeine pouch Caffeine: 77 mg Source: Manufacturer's label |
Serving: One CAFERO pouch Caffeine: 80 mg Source: Manufacturer's label |
Serving: One Hicaff pouch Caffeine: 100 mg Source: Manufacturer's label |
Serving: Brewed coffee, cup of about 240 ml Caffeine: About 95 mg Source: USDA FoodData Central |
Serving: Red Bull, 250 ml can Caffeine: 80 mg Source: Manufacturer |
A 100 mg Hicaff pouch carries a little more caffeine than the cup of brewed coffee that USDA FoodData Central lists at about 95 mg. A CAFERO pouch and a 250 ml can of Red Bull carry the same figure, 80 mg, according to their manufacturers. A 20 mg LEWA pouch carries about a fifth of the coffee cup.
The comparison is of caffeine content only. A pouch is not a drink. It has no liquid, lists no sugar, and is kept under the lip rather than swallowed. The coffee figure is an average for brewed coffee; a mug from a coffee shop can land well above or below it.
What the public bodies say about caffeine intake
Several public bodies publish reference figures or labelling rules for caffeine.
Source: EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), scientific opinion on caffeine, 2015 Reference figure or rule: 400 mg a day; 200 mg in a single serving Who it refers to: Healthy adults |
Source: EFSA, same 2015 opinion; Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) Reference figure or rule: 200 mg a day, from all sources Who it refers to: During pregnancy |
Source: EU food labelling law (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 4.2), also set out by the FSAI Reference figure or rule: Foods other than drinks with caffeine added for a physiological purpose carry "Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women", with the caffeine content per 100 g Who it refers to: Children; pregnant women |
Source: US Food and Drug Administration, consumer guidance "Spilling the Beans" Reference figure or rule: Up to 400 mg a day is not generally associated with negative effects Who it refers to: Healthy adults |
The EFSA and FDA daily figures refer to caffeine from every source combined: coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and pouches alike. They are reference intakes published by those bodies for the groups named. Caffeine is a stimulant; how you respond to it is individual.
The labelling rule applies to foods, and whether an oral pouch counts as a food is not settled: EU member states have read it differently, and Ireland has not published a position on caffeine pouches that we could find. What the rule does show is which groups EU food law singles out when caffeine is added to a food. Drinks have their own line under point 4.1 of the same annex, "High caffeine content", which is the wording on a can of Red Bull.
Who the manufacturers exclude
The warning line on a caffeine pouch can is written by the manufacturer, and it is the manufacturer's statement of who the product is not for. The wording differs from brand to brand, so check the can for the exact text.
The public bodies above single out pregnancy (EFSA and the FSAI, 200 mg a day) and children (the EU "Contains caffeine" labelling line).
How caffeine pouches are labelled in Ireland
A caffeine pouch on 24Nico carries an ingredients list and the caffeine content per pouch as the manufacturer declares it. Caffeine pouches are not nicotine products, and the label says so: 0 mg nicotine, no tobacco. Ireland applies EU food law directly, and the FSAI enforces food law in Ireland. Rules can change, and this is a description of the position, not legal advice.
Orders to Ireland are priced in euro with VAT included. They are dispatched from Sweden within the EU, so there are no customs charges or duties on delivery. The delivery page has the details.
How to read the panel
- Find the caffeine figure and confirm it is per pouch. Every product on 24Nico prints it that way; the figure also appears on the product page.
- Count the pouches per can: 18 for LEWA, 20 for CAFERO, CAMO and Hicaff. The can total is not a serving; the per-pouch figure is the one the label is built around.
- Compare the ingredient list with the ingredients table above. Cellulose, water, caffeine, flavourings, sweeteners, a humectant, salt and a pH regulator is the typical list. LEWA adds vitamins, minerals and extracts.
- Look for the manufacturer's warning line. That is where the exclusions are written.
- Look for "nicotine-free" or 0 mg. All 16 products in the caffeine pouch category are nicotine-free and tobacco-free.
The ingredients panel on each can is the source of truth.
Nicotine pouches come with their own set of effects, covered in nicotine pouches: side effects and what to expect.
FAQ
How much caffeine is in one caffeine pouch?
Between 20 mg and 100 mg per pouch, depending on the product. LEWA BURN, FOCUS and GLOW are 20 mg, LEWA POWER is 50 mg, CAMO is 77 mg, CAFERO is 80 mg and Hicaff is 100 mg per pouch, as printed by each manufacturer.
Is a caffeine pouch stronger than a cup of coffee?
It depends on the pouch. USDA FoodData Central lists a cup of brewed coffee, about 240 ml, at about 95 mg; a Hicaff pouch is 100 mg, a CAFERO pouch is 80 mg and a LEWA BURN pouch is 20 mg.
Do caffeine pouches contain nicotine or tobacco?
No. Every caffeine pouch on 24Nico is nicotine-free (0 mg) and tobacco-free; the base is plant fibre with caffeine, flavourings and sweeteners added.
What does EFSA say about caffeine intake?
EFSA's 2015 scientific opinion gives 400 mg a day and 200 mg in a single serving as reference figures for healthy adults. The figures cover caffeine from all sources combined.
What is the reference figure during pregnancy?
EFSA's 2015 opinion and the FSAI both give 200 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources, during pregnancy.
What does EU labelling law say about added caffeine?
Foods other than drinks with caffeine added carry the line "Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women". Whether a pouch counts as a food is not settled.