Focus at Four: Expert says decaffeinated coffee is safe despite petitions
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Some health advocacy groups are arguing decaffeinated coffee is not safe for human consumption.
Those groups are petitioning the FDA to ban a key chemical used to remove caffeine, methylene chloride.
As the FDA reviews the petitions, expert Eric Brenner, the Assistant Director at the Center for Coffee Research and Education at Texas A&M, told First News at Four on Tuesday the chemical isn’t one to fear because the amount left after the decaffeination process is minimal.
“There is a limit that is being imposed by the US government. I think it’s 10 parts per million, which is 0.001%. It’s safe to drink. In the process, most of this solvent is removed. But the most important thing is regardless of what process we use, all processes are safe for consumption,” Brenner said.
He also said that the amount of methylene chloride just in the air of an urban city is more than would be left behind in decaffeinated coffee.
“For us that work in the coffee industry, we’re not really worried about the process for us, it’s more the flavor. And so depending on the process that you’re going to use, the flavor is going to be preserved,” he said.
The bottom line?
“Absolutely, it’s safe to drink. All methods are safe to drink,” Brenner said.
