Sen. Dick Durbin wants the federal government to regulate food and drinks marketed as dietary supplements.
Products like "Lazy Larry" brownies and "5-Hour Energy" drinks can escape scrutiny from the Food and Drug Administration because they are described as dietary supplements instead of food.
So Durbin is backing legislation requiring the FDA to come up with a clear definition of which products are food and which are dietary supplements. The Illinois Democrat's bill also would require the makers of dietary supplements to provide information to the FDA and include warnings of possible side effects on their products.
The FDA took action this week against Lazy Larry cakes, which contain melatonin. The agency says melatonin has not been approved as a food additive and could be unsafe.
