As we foreshadowed with our blog regarding 60 day notices, the Committee for Education and Research on Toxics (CERT) filed a Proposition 65 enforcement action alleging that ready-to-brew coffee exposes coffee drinkers to acrylamide (a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer). CERT v. Brad Berry Co., Ltd., No. BC461182 (Cal. Sup. Ct., Los Angeles County, filed on May 9, 2011). Included as defendants are a number of high profile coffee roasters and retailers.
According to the suit, a single 12 oz. cup of coffee “contains anywhere from four to 100 times the No Significant Risk Level for acrylamide established by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.” We look forward to seeing how this case plays out.