Acrylamide is a neurotoxic and possible carcinogen produced when starchy foods such as potatoes, chips, bread, cereal and beverages such as beverages are cooked at high temperatures. California’s Proposition 65 legislation mandates businesses that sell food to post a label warning them it may cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm. Acrylamide also forms in coffee beans during roasting; dark roast coffee beans have more acrylamide. According to research, you would need to consume up to 10 liters per day in order to reach the maximum daily maximum human exposure recommendation of exposure guidelines.

Does this suggest you should stop drinking your daily cup of java? We spoke to registered dietitian Ella Davar, RD, CDN to understand what research indicates regarding acrylamide exposure and whether you need to limit how often you drink coffee or tea.

As it turns out, the answer to “does organic coffee contain acrylamide” is more complex than initially anticipated. Acrylamide in coffee is produced largely through roasting processes at very high temperatures; researchers suspect asparagine reacts with sugars during roasting to form this chemical; the darker roasted coffee produces even more of it; when ground and made into instant coffee this reaction increases exponentially.

Complexifying matters further is that different varieties of coffee beans produce differing levels of acrylamide. Lighter roasts (French press or espresso) typically have less of this compound due to being roasted for shorter. Organic beans don’t contain pesticides or chemicals which could increase your risk for diseases like cancer.

Acrylamide exposure becomes more of a concern if you consume large quantities of processed food items, like fries, chips, cereals and crackers in addition to coffee. Other foods that contain high concentrations of the chemical include fried, roasted or baked carbohydrates such as potatoes and bread; as well as smoked meats.

At present, there is insufficient epidemiological (large group studies of people) data to establish a connection between acrylamide exposure and increased cancer risks. Therefore, it would be more prudent to focus on eating whole foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, fish, eggs and grass-fed dairy, while avoiding processed and packaged food that are high in added sugar, trans fats and sodium content.

Final thought on acrylamide: Although there may be ways to lower your intake, such as soaking raw potato slices for 15-30 minutes in water before frying or roasting them and avoiding dark or burnt areas of toast bread, no method has yet been proven effective in lowering levels of acrylamide in cooked food. Therefore, until conclusive research is completed it would be wise to continue enjoying your morning cup of joe!