Coffee cancer link warning

A COURT ruling that gave coffee drinkers a jolt this year was finalised yesterday when a Los Angeles judge said coffee sold in California must carry cancer warnings.

Starbucks and other roasters and retailers failed to show that benefits from coffee outweighed any risks from a carcinogen that is a by-product of the roasting process.

The final ruling clears the way for a permanent injunction that would either lead to ominous warning labels or a commitment by the industry to remove the chemical from their product.