And, that was the quote delivered by Barry Popkin, a nutrition scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after he heard about Dr. Robert Bohannon’s plan to add caffeine to baked goods. Bohannon, molecular scientist who moonlights as a cafe owner (Sips Coffee & Tea cafe in Durham), can easily put 100 milligrams of caffeine — the equivalent of a 5-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee — into the treats he plans to market under the “Buzz Donuts” or “Buzzed Bagels” names.
The story from News Carolina 14 quotes Popkin further:
Popkin has studied the health effects of caffeine, and says consuming more than 300 to 400 milligrams a day can lead to heart problems, among other negatives. A 12-ounce soda typically has 30 to 55 milligrams of caffeine…Children and pregnant women could also be hurt by more access to caffeine, especially if it’s added to unhealthy foods, he said.
I find Popkin’s statements to be conservative, considering that recent news about how caffeine can help so many people has surfaced this year. In fact, the Jan. 27 issue of the British Medical Journal just published a story about the pregnancy issue.
“This study seems to refute that high caffeine intake can lead to low birth weight and perhaps preterm delivery, but it’s only one study,” said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “I still think you probably want to decrease consumption of stimulants during pregnancy and have as healthy a lifestyle as possible.” (from Food Consumer)
But - back to Bohannon…This mad scientist with a caffeine Jones began to play around with adding coffee to food about six years ago. His first attempts at adding raw caffeine to doughnuts fell way short.
“They were terrible, absolutely horrid,” Bohannon said. “The caffeine was so bitter it would just make you puke.”
He has since learned how to turn caffeine into small, flour-like particles, eliminating the bitterness and gritty texture. He also adds a vegetable oil-based coating.
Ironically, Bohannon, who holds a degree in molecular biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine, also runs Environostics Inc. in Durham. The small company makes ultra-sensitive tests that detect pregnancy, infectious diseases and other conditions.
Is this a budding or past rivalry? Will Bohannon’s creations turn Krispy Kreme around? Read the full story to grasp the implications.
Posted by beanybabe at 1:16 AM PST
