Sure, the company SAYS there’s no caffeine in its coffee or tea or soda pop, but how do we, the consumer, know for sure? Is there a simple at-home test (other than, say, consuming it and seeing if we start bouncing off walls) that we, the consumer, can perform to keep those devious corporations honest?
Are you sure they say the item is entirely devoid of caffeine. I think that FDA regulations allow trace amounts. It’s pretty hard to get all the caffeine out of a substance like coffee or chocolate.
As for testing it, I would suggest buying a chemistry set. If a product turned out to have caffeine and was labeled otherwise, I would think the FDA and FTC would be mighty displeased.
Well, they label, for example, caffeine free Pepsi with the words “caffeine free” in big letters on every can.
You suggest buying a chemistry set. Do you have a specific test in mind which one could perform with said set?
My wife is extremely sensistive to caffeine, so much so that even a small amount causes her heart to race. It has something to do with some of the medications she is taking. Anyway, because of this she is very careful not to drink anything with caffeine it. In the 5 years I have known her she has never had an adverse reaction from something that was labeled de-caffeinated.
On the other hand, when I once mistakenly brewed coffee with caffeine it she went through the roof. Based on that I would trust the labels.