WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says makers of alcoholic energy drinks have made "significant progress" in complying with the agency's new regulations.
Last week, the FDA issued warning letters to four manufacturers of the drinks that the caffeine in the high-alcohol drinks is an "unsafe food additive," ABC News reported.
Phusion Projects, the Chicago-based manufacturer of Four Loko, had said before receiving the FDA warning it would remove caffeine-containing ingredients from their beverages.
United Brands said it has stopped shipping its drink, Joose, and will have the product off store shelves by December 13.
The company also said it will no longer market Max, another beverage mentioned in the FDA's letter.
Two other companies, Charge Beverages and New Century Brewing, told the FDA they would no longer manufacture any caffeinated alcoholic beverages.
While the FDA letter did not constitute an outright ban, the agency said it was a first step in that direction.
"(It's) part of the process that FDA uses that leads to these products being removed from the market," Joshua Sharfstein, FDA principal deputy commissioner, said.
Four states and a number of college campuses have banned the sale of the alcoholic energy drinks.
