California to Remove Cancer Warning from Coffee

Coffee consumers in California may no longer catch a cancer caution on their cups of java. 

The state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is holding a hearing today and it is expected to backtrack on an earlier court ruling obligating coffee shops to warn patrons of potential hazards from consuming coffee. 

Roasting coffee beans produces a byproduct called acrylamide. Lab tests have classified the chemical as a risk factor for cancer in lab animals but its effects on humans are inconclusive, according to the American Cancer Society. 

In every cup of coffee, there is a chemical linked to cancer. That fact led an LA judge to rule that coffee companies must provide cancer warnings to coffee drinkers. But now, the State of California has intervened, telling coffee drinkers not to worry. https://t.co/bfJTdRof1p

— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 15, 2018

Coffee companies, including Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, in 2010 faced a lawsuit brought on by a non-profit company because of the chemical’s presence. Companies tried to remove acrylamide but were unsuccessful in maintaining the coffee’s flavor, The New York Times reported. 

In March, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Elihu M. Berle ruled against the coffee companies and required that their products come with a distinct warning. 

A study published in the British Medical Journal links #coffee consumption w/a lower risk of these form of #cancer:

Prostate
Uterus
Colorectal
Melanoma
Leukemia

May not show causation. pic.twitter.com/GvIReNFhaY

— Kristie Leong M.D. (@DrKristieLeong) August 14, 2018

In June, however, the World Health Organization (WHO) found “no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of drinking coffee.” Rather, “reduced risks were seen for cancers of the liver and uterine endometrium.” 

Studies found consuming extremely hot beverages may be tied to esophagus cancer, the WHO noted, but this is due to the temperature and not the drink itself. 

This new research backtracked the WHO’s previous findings in 1991 that coffee was “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” 

One of OEHHA’s concerns is that by having too many health warnings, they will start to go unnoticed and not taken seriously by consumers. 

“There’s a danger to overwarning – it’s important to warn about real health risks,” Sam Delson, deputy director for external and legislative affairs of OEHHA, told The Times.  

Sources: The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times