McDonald's under Maharashtra FDA lens over soft drink warning

Reason is ill-effects of caffeine on susceptible groups such as children, pregnant, lactating women

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered Hardcastle Restaurants, which runs McDonald's outlets in west and south India, to serve soft-drinks only with warning labels.

The FDA, in its order issued today, said Hardcastle Restaurants should put the “contains caffeine” label on cups and glasses when serving carbonated beverages at its outlets. The reason being the ill-effects of caffeine on susceptible groups such as children and pregnant and lactating women.

The matter, pertaining to a McDonald's outlet in Kolhapur, which was under the FDA scanner last year, had been extended to all McDonald's restaurants in the state, Harshdeep