By Kim Hyun-bin
Selling coffee will be banned in all elementary, middle and high schools nationwide starting mid-September.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Tuesday, the special act on managing children's diets has been revised to ban coffee at schools, and is scheduled to take effect Sept. 14.
"The revision aims to create healthy eating habits among children and teenagers," a ministry official said. "We will make sure coffee is banned at schools without fail."
Under the current law, products high in calories or caffeine, or low in nutrition are restricted or banned at schools, including coffee milk products. But coffee has been classified as an adult beverage and has been sold in school vending machines and snack shops for teachers to consume.
However, with the revision, all coffee products will be unavailable, even for teachers.
"We have notified schools of the coffee ban across the nation through cooperation with the education ministry," the official said.
The ministry said too much caffeine consumption can cause dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, sleep disorders or nervousness, and continuous caffeine consumption could harm a young child's physical and mental health.
According to the ministry's 2015 research on caffeine concentration in products, coffee had the highest concentration at 449.1 milligrams per kilogram, followed by dairy products including chocolate milk, which had 277.5 milligrams per kilogram.
The ministry sets the recommended daily allowance for caffeine for adults at lower than 400 milligrams per kilogram, 300 milligrams per kilogram during pregnancy and 2.5 milligrams per kilogram for children.
Selling coffee will be banned in all elementary, middle and high schools nationwide starting mid-September.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Tuesday, the special act on managing children's diets has been revised to ban coffee at schools, and is scheduled to take effect Sept. 14.
"The revision aims to create healthy eating habits among children and teenagers," a ministry official said. "We will make sure coffee is banned at schools without fail."
Under the current law, products high in calories or caffeine, or low in nutrition are restricted or banned at schools, including coffee milk products. But coffee has been classified as an adult beverage and has been sold in school vending machines and snack shops for teachers to consume.
However, with the revision, all coffee products will be unavailable, even for teachers.
"We have notified schools of the coffee ban across the nation through cooperation with the education ministry," the official said.
The ministry said too much caffeine consumption can cause dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, sleep disorders or nervousness, and continuous caffeine consumption could harm a young child's physical and mental health.
According to the ministry's 2015 research on caffeine concentration in products, coffee had the highest concentration at 449.1 milligrams per kilogram, followed by dairy products including chocolate milk, which had 277.5 milligrams per kilogram.
The ministry sets the recommended daily allowance for caffeine for adults at lower than 400 milligrams per kilogram, 300 milligrams per kilogram during pregnancy and 2.5 milligrams per kilogram for children.
