California lawmakers are trying 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 the 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, breasts and other parts of the body.
But under new legislation filed by Democratic Assemblymember Eloise Reyes, the state would ban decaffeinated coffee produced with the chemical, forcing manufacturers to switch recipes or risk a $10,000 fine.
The image above shows how decaffeinated coffee is made using the European method, the most common method for making decaffeinated coffee. Tests show that traces of methylene chloride remain in the coffee even after treatment
California considers ban on decaffeinated coffee made with methylene chloride (stock photo)
It comes after California became the first state in the US to ban four candy chemicals linked to cancer and hyperactivity in children.
Coffee manufacturers insist that the chemical is washed from the beans after treatment, with the remaining amounts evaporating when the beans are heated to 204 degrees Celsius during roasting.
But testing by consumer watchdogs has shown this is not the case and trace amounts still remain in decaffeinated coffee.
The Consumer Group Clean Label Project found that 10 of the 25 decaffeinated coffee brands it tested in 2020 contained the chemical, with brands like Amazon Fresh and Kroger’s own brands being the worst offenders.
However, the levels were low and none exceeded the FDA’s maximum recommendation as a safe level of 10 parts per million.
The California bill – called AB2066 – was introduced to the Assembly last month and will need to be voted on before it can be referred to a committee.
It will also need to pass a vote in the House of Representatives, a committee stage, a vote in the Senate and get Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature before it becomes law.
If enacted, the bill would ban decaffeinated coffee made with the chemical in the state by 2027.
It is not clear whether the bill would also ban the sale of decaffeinated coffee made using a method other than the method that used methylene chloride.
But the National Coffee Association has raised concerns, calling it a “decaffeinated coffee ban.”
CEO Bill Murray said: ‘Banning decaffeinated decaffeinated methods would defy science and harm the health of Americans.
‘The overwhelming weight of independent scientific evidence shows that drinking caffeine-free European Method decaf is safe and furthermore that drinking caffeine-free European Method decaf, like all coffee, is associated with a reduced risk of multiple cancers and other significant health benefits.”
European method decaffeinated is the name of the method of making decaffeinated coffee that uses the chemical. It accounts for the vast majority of decaffeinated coffees.
There are other options available, including those that use carbon dioxide and water, but these are more time-consuming and expensive.
About 10 percent of Americans – or 26 million people – drink decaffeinated coffee every day, estimates show.
California doesn’t produce much decaffeinated coffee, as the vast majority of U.S. supply comes from Germany.
Coffee producers argue that any ban would cause a shortage of decaffeinated coffee and raise prices for consumers.
The FDA is also considering a petition filed by consumer group Environmental Defense Fund, which aims to ban the use of methyl chloride in making decaffeinated coffee.
California lawmaker and Democrat Eloise Gomez Reyes introduced the bill to ban the use of the chemical in the production of decaffeinated coffee
The European Union and the FDA currently allow the production of coffee containing methylene chloride.
But the FDA says levels of it in products cannot exceed 10 parts per million.
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 to a higher risk of liver and lung cancer.
a meta-analysis published in 2013 involving more than 3,000 adults, it also found that participants had a higher risk of multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.
Participants were adults who manufactured camera film – which contains the chemical – and were regularly exposed to about 20 to 40 ppm through breathing polluted air.
a separate meta-analysis in 2011 also pointed out a possible link between the chemical and brain, breast and liver cancer in the group.
A EPA review in 2022 also warned that the chemical could cause other complications, including nervous system problems and developmental problems.
This was based in part on a study in mice that showed the chemical could cross the placenta and cause bone development problems in animals.
The CDC says online: ‘Methylene chloride is a colorless liquid that can cause damage to the eyes, skin, liver and heart.
‘Exposure can cause drowsiness, dizziness, numbness and tingling in the extremities and nausea. It can cause cancer.’
They say workers who are exposed to paint, who work in factories that clean or degrease metal or who work in the pharmaceutical industry are most at risk.
Decaffeinated coffee is preferred by many consumers because of the opportunity to reap some of the benefits of coffee without experiencing the jitters or disrupted sleep caused by the caffeinated version.
Previous studies have suggested these may include a lower risk of premature death, consuming more antioxidants and even a lower risk of premature death lower risk of colon cancer.
Studies have also linked drinking coffee to multiple health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, which is thought to be related to its caffeine content.