A recent move by the European Union (EU) has raised eyebrows after officials classified caffeine as “harmful to humans if swallowed” under new chemical safety guidelines. The decision, which also includes banning caffeine as a pesticide, was based on scientific assessments highlighting potential risks to the heart, hydration, and nervous system. While the regulation primarily targets its use in agriculture, the ruling has ignited concerns about how future policies might affect everyday caffeine consumption. In banning its application to agriculture, the European Commission said scientific evidence from the European Food Safety Authority showed “caffeine has adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, hydration and body temperature in adults, as well as on the central nervous system (sleep, anxiety, behavioural changes) in adults and children, and an adverse birth weight-related outcome in pregnant women.” Story continues below this ad With coffee deeply embedded in European culture, the ruling has triggered backlash from critics who see it as an unnecessary intervention.  Some worry this could be a step toward tighter restrictions on caffeine-containing products. But what does this …