Overview

• Panera Bread is facing a lawsuit over the death of a college student with a known heart condition alleged to have died from a heart attack after consuming the company's highly caffeinated lemonade, which reportedly contains 260 to 390 milligrams of caffeine per serving size.
• Despite FDA regulations requiring chains to make menu nutrition facts publicly available, the same rules do not apply to publishing caffeine levels, raising questions about consumer safety, especially for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions who are more prone to caffeine overdose.
• Panera's 'Charged Lemonades' are marketed as a 'clean' caffeine drink due to their caffeine content derived from guarana and green coffee extract, presenting concerns over how such menu items are labeled and perceived by consumers.
• Experts indicate that people's reaction to caffeine consumption varies significantly, with economic considerations to certain groups, including people on certain medications, pregnant women, younger adults, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
• The Panera lawsuit highlights the broader issue of excessively caffeinated food and drinks, with caffeine commonly added to numerous products in potentially dangerous quantities while often not sufficiently declared in labeling or marketing materials.