Consumer Council examined five kinds of beverages to check their energy, amount of caffeine, and sugar. Test results show that over half of the 30 samples contain too much sugar. Consumers can now find the detailed report in the latest issue no.266 Consumer Report. Five kinds of pre-packed beverages are energy drinks, coffee, milk tea, tea, and soft drinks from the market. The amount of sugar found in the 30 samples vary significantly, ranging from the lowest 0.34g/100ml to the highest 17g/100ml. The amount of sugar found in over half of the samples exceeds the daily intake of 25g of sugar (based on a daily intake of 2000 calorie by an adult) recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). High amount of sugar tend to be found in energy drinks, tea, and soft drinks. Consumers are reminded to check the amount of sugar stated on the package before purchasing any pre-packed beverages, and to calculate the amount to see if it exceeds the standard of a healthy diet as too much sugar leads to unbalanced nutrition and increases the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. For examining energy and caffeine contents, energy drinks that are advertised to help boosting body energy tend to contain high amount of energy. Energy here refers to nutrients like carbohydrates, fat, and protein. According to the report, too much energy causes obesity, also, certain energy drinks even contain a much higher amount of caffeine than coffee. Since continuous and overdose of caffeine affects consumers’ health, manufacturers are suggested to print the amount of caffeine contained in the package of the beverage for consumers’ easy selection. Consumer Council will continue to conduct more tests on food and beverages for the provision of ingredients and information of such products to consumers. The mentioned test result can be found in issue no.266 Consumer Report. Laundry service is a traditional and common industry in Macao, and disputes always arise due to washing procedures and techniques, etc. The Council conducted a survey on the laundry services and the related contents can be found in Consumer Report. The latest Consumer Report also includes a consumer alert on purchasing properties in Zhuhai. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the Consumer Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A, Edf. Cheung Heng, R/C), 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. Consumers may also access the magazine online on the Council’s official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
