Cancer Warnings, Mergers, Bugs: The Latest In Coffee News

Bad news for coffee lovers: California coffee shops may be forced to remind you that coffee could be lethal in the long run. Furthermore, your machine at home may also house some unwanted guests. But let it be known that despite all the gloom and doom, this news roundup was written over a nice strong cup of black coffee.

A Los Angeles judge will soon rule whether or not coffee shops in California will be required to post warnings of cancer risks, according to CNN. When coffee beans are roasted, it creates a potentially cancerous chemical called acrylamide. The nonprofit Council for Education and Research on Toxins filed a lawsuit back in 2010 against major coffee sellers Starbucks, BP, 7-Eleven and others for the lack of warning against acrylamide in coffee. If the judge sides with the Council, companies and coffee shops will face fines if no easily visible warnings are placed in stores.

The lawsuit has already been settled by 13 companies, including 7-Eleven. The rest of the coffee peddlers have until February 8 to settle or have a judge weigh in.

While cancer warnings may scare people out of drinking coffee, a slump in demand may slow coffee's route to extinction.

The Washington Post reports that Keurig Green Mountain bought Dr. Pepper Snapple this Monday, meaning sugary drinks 7 Up, Hawaiian Punch, Mott's, Sunkist, A&W and others will join the K-Cups roster of beverages. The merger also comes with a new company name that drops the coffee brand from the spotlight: Keurig Dr. Pepper.

So, while reports of coffee extinction and cancerous chemicals emerge, perhaps Keurig made a smart business move. What does the Food Republic Today podcast team think of this acquisition? Listen to this recent episode to find out!

As if cancer wasn't enough to make you rethink your next cup, pest control experts in Singapore found an alarming amount of cockroaches in commercial coffee machines in restaurants.

At least 40% (that's 40% too much, in this coffee-lover's humble opinion) of coffee makers house German cockroaches. Standard coffee machines use thermoblock technology to heat water to brew coffee, making an ideal climate for this specific species of roach to burrow inside the nooks and crannies of the machine (American cockroaches, somewhat predictably, are too big to crawl inside). On the bright side, this isn't a problem for espresso-makers, since those machines are heated with large boilers that heat water to temperatures too hot for critters.

h/t Extra Crispy