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- A judge has ruled that because of a lawsuit in California, businesses like Starbucks that sell coffee will need to warn consumers that the drink poses a cancer risk because it contains the chemical acrylamide.
- Acrylamide in large quantities could be dangerous, but it’s in many foods we consume (and can’t be removed from coffee).
- The amount in coffee is much lower than the doses shown to cause harm.
- Existing research suggests coffee consumption is actually associated with lower risks for cancer and other diseases.
Coffee shops in California, including Starbucks and coffee-selling gas stations, will need to post labels about potential cancer-causing chemicals in coffee, a California judge evaluating a lawsuit has ruled, according to the Associated Press.
The Council for Education and Research on Toxics — the group behind the lawsuit — wanted to penalize companies for not warning customers that coffee contains acrylamide, a chemical that California lists as one “known to cause cancer.” Companies may even have to pay fines if they don’t warn customers about the risks of chemicals in coffee.
CHECK ALSO: A Guide To The Health Benefits Of Coffee
