California lawmakers are seeking to ban decaffeinated coffee or force companies to change their recipes to remove a chemical linked to cancer.
Most decaffeinated coffees are made with methylene chloride, which is also found in paint stripper, which is used to remove caffeine from coffee beans during the manufacturing process.
Both the EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have labeled methylene chloride a “probable carcinogen” after studies linked it to cancers in the blood, breast and other parts of the body.
But under new legislation, introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Eloise Reyes, the state would ban decaffeinated coffee produced with the chemical, forcing manufacturers to change recipes or face a $10,000 fine.
The graphic above shows how decaffeinated coffee is brewed using the European method, the most common method of brewing decaffeinated coffee. Tests show that traces of methylene chloride remain in coffees even after treatment.
California is considering banning decaffeinated coffee made with methylene chloride (file image)
It comes after California became the first US state to ban four chemicals from candy linked to cancer and hyperactivity in children.
Coffee manufacturers insist that the chemical is removed from the beans after treatment, and the remaining amounts evaporate when the beans are heated to 400°F (204°C) during roasting.
But tests carried out by consumer watchdogs have shown that this is not the case and that traces still remain in decaffeinated coffee.
The Consumer Group Clean Label Project found that 10 of the 25 decaffeinated coffee brands it analyzed contained the chemical in 2020, with brands like Amazon Fresh and Kroger itself being the worst offenders.
However, the levels were low and none exceeded the FDA’s maximum safe level recommendation of 10 parts per million.
The California bill, called AB2066, was introduced in the Assembly last month and will need to be voted on before being handed over to a committee.
It will also have to pass another House vote, a committee stage and a Senate vote and get Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature before it becomes law.
If it goes into effect, the bill would ban decaffeinated coffees made with the chemical in the state by 2027.
It is unclear whether the bill would also prohibit the sale of decaffeinated coffees made without the method that used methylene chloride.
But the National Coffee Association has expressed concern, calling it a “decaffeinated coffee ban.”
Its chief executive, Bill Murray, said: “Banning the European decaffeinated method would defy science and harm the health of Americans.”
“The overwhelming weight of independent scientific evidence shows that drinking the European Method decaffeinated is safe and, furthermore, that drinking the European Method decaffeinated, like all coffee, is associated with a reduced risk of multiple cancers and other important health benefits “.
European Method Decaffeinated is the name of the method of making decaffeinated coffee that uses this chemical. It represents the vast majority of decaffeinated coffees.
There are other options available, including those that use carbon dioxide and water, but they are more time-consuming and expensive.
According to estimates, about 10 percent of Americans (or 26 million people) drink decaffeinated coffee every day.
California doesn’t produce much decaffeinated coffee, and the vast majority of the U.S. supply comes from Germany.
Coffee makers argue that any ban would lead to a shortage of supply of decaffeinated coffee and raise prices for consumers.
The FDA is also considering a petition filed by the consumer group Environmental Defense Fund that seeks to ban the use of methyl chloride in the making of decaffeinated coffee.
California Assemblywoman and Democrat Eloise Gómez Reyes proposed the bill to prohibit the use of the chemical in the manufacture of decaffeinated coffee
Currently, the European Union and the FDA allow the manufacture of coffee using methylene chloride.
But the FDA says its levels cannot exceed 10 parts per million in products.
No studies have yet shown a link between decaffeinated coffee and any negative health effects, including cancer.
However, previous studies have warned that exposure to methyl chloride, even at low levels (although higher than those in decaffeinated coffee), can increase the risk of cancer.
Animal studies reported by the EPA linked exposure to the chemical with an increased risk of liver and lung cancer.
TO meta-analysis published in 2013 A study involving more than 3,000 adults also found that participants had an increased risk of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
The participants were adults who made camera films, which contain the chemical, and were regularly exposed to between 20 and 40 ppm by breathing contaminated air.
TO separate meta-analysis in 2011 also pointed out a potential link between the chemical and brain, breast and liver cancer in the group.
A EPA review in 2022 He also warned that the chemical could cause other complications, including problems with the nervous system and developmental problems.
This was based in part on a study in mice that showed that the chemical could cross the placenta and cause bone development problems in the animals.
The CDC says online: ‘Methylene chloride is a colorless liquid that can harm the eyes, skin, liver, and heart.
‘Exposure may cause drowsiness, dizziness, numbness and tingling in the extremities, and nausea. It can cause cancer.
They say workers exposed to paint, those who work in factories that clean or degrease metals or those who work in pharmaceuticals are most at risk.
Many consumers prefer decaffeinated coffee because of the ability to get some of the benefits of coffee without suffering from the jitters or sleep disorders caused by the caffeinated version.
Previous studies have suggested that these may include a lower risk of premature death, consumption of more antioxidants and even a lower risk of colon cancer.
Studies have also linked coffee consumption to multiple health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, which is believed to be related to its caffeine content.