Coffee cancer warning: Does coffee cause cancer?

California judge affirms ruling for coffee cancer warnings.

A California judge this week affirmed a ruling that coffee served in the state must have a cancer warning. The ruling comes after a Long Beach lawyer sued restaurants stating the warning is needed as coffee contains acrylamide, a carcinogen.

Attorney Raphael Metzger filed a lawsuit in 2010 against companies such as Starbucks and 7-Eleven claiming coffee needs warning labels because of Proposition 65, a 1986 law that requires items containing acrylamide to have warning labels.

Metzger’s lawsuit comes after he sued fast food companies in 2002 contending that french fries also contained the hazardous ingredient.

The current lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, asks that coffee have the warning labels or makers “reduce the acrylamide content of their coffee products to safe levels.” The group and industry leaders must decide what to do during a mediation.