Sharadha Narayanan | ENS Red Bull has 329 parts per million caffeine, while the permitted level in the country is 145 ppm ENERGY drink Red Bull has double the permitted caffeine levels, said an analysis conducted by the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore. Red Bull was found to have 329-ppm (parts per million) caffeine. This is more than twice the amount of caffeine allowed by the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act in the country (permitted limit is 145 ppm). Though the energy drinks market in the country is substantial, pegged unofficially at over Rs 200 crore, there are no standard rules for energy drinks and no regulation on their ingredients. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has now prepared a revised draft for standards for energy drinks in the country , and a final version is expected soon. Red Bull is currently being treated as non-alcoholic beverage/carbonated water. It ran into controversy in June 2009, when a consignment of 25 cans imported to Chennai were held back by the customs and sent to CFTRI for testing. The samples failed to test non-alcoholic beverage/carbonated water under the PFA Act. In its report dated August 3, 2009, the lab noted that Red Bull had caffeine to the extent of 329 ppm. The Madras High Court, in February this year, upheld the Cer tificate of Analysis, and noted that the drink was not conforming to the standards of PFA. Naini Setalwad, a health consul tant from Mumbai, said high caffeine level can lead to sleeplessness, irrita tion and fatigue. "These can cause a ripple effect, with each of them caus ing more health hazards," she warned, adding that no drink with more than 120 ppm of caffeine is healthy . An activist in health issues in the city who requested anonymity said, 250 ml of coffee can have between 300 600 ppm caffeine based on its strength and mixture. For a similar quantity of ea, the caffeine amount will be 240 ppm. "Tea and coffee have 300 more components, many with good health effects, which can't be said of Red Bull," the activist said.