Chocolate drinks, snacks banned from schools due to caffeine concerns

A vending machine service provider recently shared on social media new regulations from the Education and Youth Development Bureau that mandate the removal of all chocolate milk and chocolate-containing snacks from Macau’s primary and secondary schools, citing concerns about caffeine in cocoa beans. The post sparked a heated discussion, prompting the supplier to clarify that the bureau has long enforced strict regulations on snacks and beverages sold in schools, prioritizing low sugar, fat, and sodium content, which would effectively prohibit the sale of about 99% of currently available products. The bureau has yet to respond. The supplier’s post has since been deleted.