Buzz
Coffee has recently been flagged with a warning in California, indicating it contains acrylamide, a chemical recognized by the state as a potential carcinogen. This substance forms naturally during the roasting process of coffee beans. However, this designation is rooted in legal requirements rather than conclusive scientific evidence.
This warning stems from California’s Proposition 65, a voter-approved measure introduced in 1986. Initially, the proposition was seen as a way to highlight governmental shortcomings in addressing toxic chemicals. David Roe, one of its authors, mentioned to Newsweek that its creators were surprised by its passage, as it was primarily intended to raise awareness.
Under Proposition 65, products must display warnings if they contain chemicals listed by the state as harmful. These chemicals are often included based on findings from reputable organizations like the World Health Organization or the FDA. The state provides detailed explanations of its evaluation methods on its official website.
However, many chemicals on California’s list, including acrylamide, are not universally recognized as carcinogens. For instance, the World Health Organization classifies acrylamide as a 'probable' carcinogen, meaning there is evidence of its cancer-causing effects in animals but not definitive proof in humans.
Is Acrylamide Something to Be Concerned About?
Acrylamide is a chemical that develops during the browning and toasting of foods. In coffee, it forms as beans are roasted. Similarly, foods like toast and french fries contain acrylamide after being cooked. This chemical tends to appear whenever carbohydrate and protein-rich plant-based foods are exposed to high temperatures.
According to the National Cancer Institute, humans metabolize acrylamide differently than rodents, and no conclusive evidence has been found in human studies linking the chemical to cancer.
The FDA provides an extensive fact sheet on acrylamide in food, which essentially summarizes to the following point:
Should I avoid consuming fried, roasted, or baked foods?
No.
Despite the weak connection to cancer, coffee still requires a warning label in California because acrylamide meets the criteria for inclusion on the Prop 65 list. In a recent court case, the defendants were unable to demonstrate that coffee consumption provides a health benefit, as reported by the Associated Press.
Proving that acrylamide does not cause cancer is nearly impossible. California’s standards are so stringent that warnings are triggered even at extremely low levels of exposure—specifically, levels that might cause one cancer case per 100,000 people consuming the product daily for 70 years. Dr. David Katz of Yale explained in Vice that conducting a study to achieve such certainty is impractical.
What about coffee?
While the court case focused on acrylamide, the real concern for consumers is the beverage itself: coffee. In 2016, the World Health Organization removed coffee from its list of carcinogens, though it cautioned that extremely hot beverages of any kind could pose a risk due to their temperature.
The debate over whether coffee is beneficial or harmful to our health continues. Current large-scale studies suggest that coffee may have health benefits, with no major analyses indicating significant risks. Overall, it appears to be safe for consumption.
This article was revised at 5:04pm to clarify that humans metabolize acrylamide differently than rodents. Previously, it stated 'differently than animals,' but, of course, humans are animals. Thank you, czr.
