Steem (peanut butter)

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Steem
Steem logo
TypePeanut butter
CourseSnack
Place of originGreenfield, Massachusetts
Created byChris Pettazzoni, Keith Barnofski and Andrew Brach
Invented2014
Main ingredientsPeanuts, peanut oil, salt, agave nectar, caffeine
Food energy
(per 36 g serving)
210 kcal (879 kJ)[1]
Nutritional value
(per 36 g serving)
Protein8 g
Fat18 g
Carbohydrate8 g
Other informationDiscontinued in 2019

Steem (often stylized STEEM) was a brand of caffeinated peanut butter produced by STEEM Peanut Butter, Inc.[2] The company was co-founded by Chris Pettazzoni, Keith Barnofski, and Andrew Brach and was based in Greenfield, Massachusetts.[3] Sold in the United States between 2014 and 2019, the peanut butter was predominantly marketed as an alternative to coffee as a source of the stimulant caffeine. In 2015, US senator Chuck Schumer publicly criticized the high levels of caffeine in Steem, leading to the company being contacted by the Food and Drug Administration as part of a wider investigation into foods containing additional caffeine.

History and product

Steem was originally conceived as a potential hangover cure; the idea of adding caffeine to peanut butter occurred while the inventors were preparing various sandwiches containing the spread.[4] Powdered, flavourless caffeine extracted from coffee beans was procured from a company in Virginia specializing in producing anhydrous caffeine for use in dietary supplements.[5][6] Barnofski, who had experience as a sous-chef, began devising recipes for the new product, incorporating the caffeine by mixing it with the fat from the peanut butter.[4] Production space was rented at a community center in Greenfield and Steem was launched in March 2014, around two years after its initial conception.[3][4] The peanut butter retailed at $4.99 per jar and was sold online through the company's website, as well as in a small number of retailers and gymnasiums around New England.[5][7] By January 2016, the price had risen to $6 per eight-ounce jar.[8]

Steem was marketed primarily as a source of energy due to the added caffeine. Its creators claimed that the slower digestion time of peanut butter compared to other sources of caffeine meant that the stimulant was absorbed into the body over a longer period and at a lower concentration, thus offering a "more mellow" experience without the "jitters, heart palpitations and stained teeth" associated with coffee consumption.[4][6] The spread was also promoted towards bodybuilders due to its high protein content,[7] and the label on the jar highlighted the use of exclusively natural ingredients (peanuts, peanut oil, salt, agave nectar, and caffeine) in Steem's production.[5][2]

In November 2015, US senator for New York, Chuck Schumer, called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate Steem. He claimed that its high caffeine content could pose a danger to health, especially in children.[9] A recommended two-tablespoon serving of Steem contained 150 milligrams of caffeine,[10] as much as two cups of coffee or five cans of Coca-Cola.[7] Schumer suggested the introduction of limits on additional caffeine and warning labels on products with caffeine added.[9] The FDA subsequently sent a letter to the creators of Steem on December 15, 2015, requesting more information about the use of caffeine in the product.[2] The letter was part of a wider investigation by the FDA into foods containing additional caffeine that could be marketed towards younger people.[10] A message on the company's website warned that Steem was not suitable for pets such as dogs and cats.[9]

As of October 2019, the company's website had been updated to state that Steem was no longer in production.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Steem Peanut Butter Nutrition". steempb.com. Steem. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "FDA Wants More Information on Caffeinated Peanut Butter Safety". foodsafetynews.com. Food Safety News. 18 December 2015. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b McGinnes, Meagan (29 September 2015). "Caffeinated peanut butter is now being made in Massachusetts". boston.com. Boston.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d Smith, Aaron (5 October 2015). "Hangovers create Steem, a caffeinated peanut butter". money.cnn.com. CNN Business. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Ducharme, Jamie (28 September 2015). "Local Company Steem Is Making Caffeinated Peanut Butter". bostonmagazine.com. Boston Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Katz, Lauren (7 October 2015). "This caffeinated peanut butter could replace your morning coffee". vox.com. Vox. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Firger, Jessica (10 November 2015). "Senator Chuck Schumer Is On a Crusade Against Caffeinated Peanut Butter". newsweek.com. Newsweek. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  8. ^ Garfield, Leanna (22 January 2016). "9 snacks with just as much caffeine as coffee". businessinsider.com. Business Insider. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Caffeinated peanut butter raises health concerns". cbsnews.com. CBS News. 9 November 2015. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Substance Use Best Practice Tool Guide. Appendix A: Caffeine Use" (PDF). tn.gov. Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. 15 August 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  11. ^ "STEEM Caffeinated Peanut Butter". steempb.com. Steem. Archived from the original on 25 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
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