Will Coffee Warning Signs Come to South Korea?
I would be surprised if this happens in South Korea:
Starbucks and other coffee sellers in California must warn customers of a potentially cancer-causing chemical in coffee, following a ruling from a Los Angeles judge last week.
Now the global coffee chain is concerned that the impact of the decision may go beyond the U.S. state.
“The ruling aroused concern among company employees,” a senior Starbucks Coffee Korea official told The Korea Times Wednesday. “But we have not taken any specific measures in regard to the issue, given that the ruling is not final. This matter is affecting the whole coffee industry, not just Starbucks.”
The comment came several days after Starbucks’ China unit said it would ensure it provided quality and safe products to consumers in a response to the ruling.
A nonprofit organization, the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, sued 91 coffee companies, including Starbucks, for failing to warn consumers of a chemical that could cause cancer.
The chemical is acrylamide, which also can be found in some foods and cigarette smoke. It is a byproduct of roasting coffee beans that is present in high levels in brewed coffee.
Korean customers are exposed to the same health risk as Californians, given that the way coffee is produced is practically the same. However, a Starbucks Korea PR official said Korea does not have the same regulations that would enforce such a requirement ― yet.
Lee Hyun-ki, head of a civic group for food safety, reportedly said he thinks Starbucks Korea needs to review the necessity for such a requirement here. “If any of the U.S. states make efforts for food safety, Starbucks needs to consider doing the same for Korean consumers … They have the right to know about acrylamide,” he said.
L.A. Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle said in a decision that Starbucks and other coffee firms had failed to show that the level of acrylamide produced in the coffee roasting process does not pose a significant cancer risk. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but acrylamide is also found in other foods such as french fires, potato chips, bread, and other foods. So will California require other food products to have warning labels as well for acrylamide?
“also found in other foods such as french fires”
I knew North Africans burning cars in Paris were dangerous but I didn’t know they caused cancer.
Why not at birth tattoo every baby with the following, “Warning, Living Results in Death.” That will cover everything.
Soju should probably get the first warning here.
Cancer is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time.
Also, 100% of cancer victims have hemoglobin in their blood.
Yes. Those statements are silly. But less silly than California making companies post warnings about coffee but not marijuana.
Hemogoblin?
Wasn’t that a Spider-man villain?
So basically any food that’s fried has this chemical. How about putting warning signs on Korean barbecues? Cooking meat on the fire also creates this chemical.
Sorry Johnnyboy. Small cellphone, fat fingers, old-guy vision…