Proposition 65 Warning Label
LOS ANGELES
A California judge has issued a ruling that coffee sold in the state must display a cancer warning label.
The Proposition 65 warning label, long fought by coffee companies and the National Coffee Association (NCA), are mandated in California on 900 products that contain known carcinogens. Roasted coffee contains small amounts of acrylamide, a chemical created when coffee is heated. Starbucks and other retailers argued that coffee overall is healthy, benefitting drinkers and that the presence of acrylamide is helpful in reducing microbial contamination and to render coffee palatable.
Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle found that the coffee industry had failed to demonstrate acrylamide poses no significant harm. He also found the defendants arguments that coffee itself has some health benefit “was not persuasive,” according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
NCA president and c.e.o. Bill Murray said, “This lawsuit has made a mockery of Prop 65, has confused consumers, and does nothing to improve public health.”
A final ruling, identical in wording, and describing penalties is expected to follow shortly.