The Consumer Council and Food Safety Department of the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) co-tested 20 non-prepackaged beverages including “Bubble Tea”, “Brown Sugar Bubble Tea” and “Brown Sugar Bubble Milk” to determine their ingredients. Test result shows that all 20 samples contain high level of sugar, continuous intake of these drinks may increase the risk of getting chronic cardiovascular disease. Consumers are suggested not to over-consume and choose less or no sugar when choosing this kind of drinks.

Sugar contents exceed maximum intake recommended by WHO

Sugar provides the calories needed by the human body but too much intake may build up fat and increase the risk of getting diabetes and high blood pressure. Hand-shaken beverages are popular in recent years, their sugar contents are also concern to consumers’ health, all 20 samples tested by the Consumer Council and Food Safety Department of IAM are found to contain high levels of sugar. The sugar intake recommendation by WHO is a maximum of 50g/10 cubes (strong recommendation) and 25g/5 cubes (conditional recommendation) of sugar per day for the average adult at a calorie intake of 2,000kcal, in the mentioned test, 7 samples are found to contain sugar contents equal to over 10 sugar cubes, drinking one cup of this kind of drinks already exceeds the strong recommendation sugar intake by WHO; most of the other samples are also found to contain over 5 cubes of sugar contents.

Less sugar means good health

Consumers are reminded to consume hand-shaken beverages less often and choose less sugar or ever no sugar when drinking this kind of drinks to maintain good health.

Caffeine found in half of the samples

Caffeine is also found in 12 samples, and the highest amount of 32mg/100g caffeine is found in 1 sample, too much caffeine causes excitement, anxiety and altered heartbeat rhythm, consumers are suggested not to give caffeinated hand-shaken drinks to children.

The current test shows that hygienic condition of all samples are satisfactory, however, the beverage industry is also reminded to pay attention to the making process of this kind of drinks to ensure they abide by the guidelines offered by IAM to safeguard consumers’ health.

Details of the test and the relevant consumption advice can be found in the newly published issue 314 Consumer Report.

Consumer Report issue no. 314 also includes features on the recent work of the Council and other e-services of the Council. Consumers may access the magazine online on the Council’s official website and WeChat official account. Consumer Report is now also available free of charge at the Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 26, Edf. Clementina Ho), and the service counter of the Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza, libraries, and bookstores.

For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.