Could the TGA’s proposed regulation of EGCG have unintended broader consequences for more food businesses and caffeinated products?

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration is considering regulating green tea and its active component epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a poison in some usages. This article addresses the proposed regulation of green tea, its potential impact on food manufacturers and complementary medicines manufacturers, and the history of green tea regulation by the TGA. We also discuss the scenario where green tea is used as an alternative to isolated caffeine.