A California judge in a superior court in Los Angeles has made a preliminy ruling that could affect thousands of coffee shops in California; including Starbucks, 7-Eleven and even local gas stations. If the ruling is passed, shops will need to put a warning that tells customers that there is a possible cancer risk linked to their morning jolt of hot java. Companies that don’t abide by the ruling face hefty fines; up to $2,500 per day for each violation, according to the California attorney general’s office. He has based his preliminary decision off of the fact that companies have “failed to meet their burden of proof on their Alternative Risk Level affirmative defense. The issue at hand is the chemical acrylamide; which can be found on California’s list of chemicals it considers as possible causes of cancer. You see acrylamide is created when coffee beans are roasted at temperatures higher than 149 degrees Fahrenheit. In many cases coffee is roasted at temperatures well over 149F. However, coffee companies argue that research has found that acrylamide causes cancer in mice when given 1,000 to 100,000 times the normal amount, on a weight basis, that humans are exposed to through dietary sources or would naturally consume.
William Murry, chief executive of the coffee association, wrote in an email on Friday that the presence of acrylamide in coffee “is not in doubt” but also emphasized that the levels “are miniscule,” in other words, he doesn’t doubt that the chemical exists in coffee but also believes that the amount found in coffee is insignificant. He further stated that, “coffee is much more than acrylamide – it literally contains hundreds of substances, and is one of the most heavily studied foods of all time.” He went on to say that putting warning labels on coffee would simply be “comfusing and misleading”, citing statements made by the World Health Organization that the drink does not cuase cancer and that studies have shown that coffee offers health beneifits like longevitiy. As he put it, “coffee has been shown, over and over again, to be a healthy beverage.”
Coffee has been studied immensely over the years, and research has shown that it provides several benefits. Studies have shown that drinking coffee may lower your risk of heart disease, multiple sclerosis, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and even some cancers like melanoma, prostate cancer, and cancer of the liver.
However, The National Cancer Institute notes that, among foods, coffee is a major source of acrylamide, along with potato chips, bread, breakfast cereals and canned black olives. But the government agency also mentions on its website that the acrylamide levels found in food vary widely and that people are exposed to much more acrylamide from tobacco smoke than from food.
Companies now have until April 10 to file objections to the proposed decision and then a final decision will be made. A judge will also help in deciding what penalties and what remedies should be, if companies don’t settle before then.
