Coffee sellers in California, including Starbucks and 7-11, have posted cancer warnings in light of a lawsuit that states consumers are entitled to a “clear and reasonable warning” when products contain compounds that may have adverse effects on their health.
The court has not issued a ruling enforcing the suit, but many other coffee shops and California restaurants are expected to comply.
Coffee contains trace amounts of acrylamide, a chemical created during the roasting process that has been linked to cancer. Acrylamide appears on California’s list of harmful chemicals. Similar warnings are displayed on other foods, such as French fries and potato chips, which can also contain acrylamide.
The Council for Education and Research on Toxics (CERT) filed the lawsuit in 2010, citing Proposition 65 which mandates warnings of possible harm from a range of 800 compounds. The warning is hotly opposed by roasters who cite the health benefits of coffee and a finding by the World Health Organization (WHO) that coffee is “not carcinogenic to humans.” In fact, studies show that coffee consumption has been linked to reductions in the risks for certain types of cancer, including skin, prostate, endometrial, colon, and liver cancer.
Not all research shows that the small amounts of acrylamide obtained through diet are harmful, due to the small amounts present. However, a judge ruled that regardless of these findings, acrylamide is known to degrade to glycidamide which is proven to harm DNA and is linked to cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.The warnings are currently posted in shops and could possibly be required on packages of roasted coffee.