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Coffee Carcinogens

A CARCINOGENIC CHEMICAL IN COFFEE MAY BE PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH AS MUCH AS A THIRD OF THEIR DAILY INTAKE OF THE CHEMICAL.  HEAR MORE ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.  

ACRYLAMIDE HAS BEEN USED IN INDUSTRY SINCE THE FIFTIES.  IN TWO THOUSAND TWO, SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED ITS APPEARANCE IN SOME FOODS – ESPECIALLY THOSE COOKED IN HIGH TEMPERATURES, SUCH AS FRIED OR ROASTED FOODS.  FURTHER STUDIES SHOWED HIGH EXPOSURE LEVELS TO THE CHEMICAL CAUSED CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS IN ANIMALS.  RECENTLY, IT’S BEEN FOUND IN COFFEE, A RESULT OF THE HIGH TEMP BEAN-ROASTING PROCESS, LEADING TO EVEN GREATER EXPOSURE IN HUMANS.  TWO U-N AGENCIES ARE SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO CUT BACK ON PRODUCTION OF ACRYLAMIDE THROUGH DATA FROM SEVENTEEN COUNTRIES.  RESULTS HAVE SHOWED LEVELS ARE HIGHEST IN MEDIUM-ROAST COFFEE, BUT BECOME LOWER IN DARKER ROASTS.  UNTIL FURTHER PROOF, SCIENTISTS ADVISE REDUCING COFFEE AND FRIED FOODS IN YOUR DIET. 

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

To learn more, visit the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.